Japan July Tourist Arrivals Hit Record 3.4 Million on China Demand

Japan welcomed an estimated 3.437 million foreign visitors in July, up 4.4% from a year earlier and the highest figure ever recorded for the month, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday. The tally marks the 18th consecutive month in which arrivals set a new record for the respective month, underlining the strength of the country’s post-pandemic tourism recovery despite a prolonged heatwave. Mainland China remained the largest source market with 974,500 visitors, a 25.5% increase on the year, followed by South Korea at 678,600 visitors, down 10.4%, and Taiwan at 604,200, up 5.7%. Overall growth, however, slowed to its lowest rate this year after social-media rumours of a potential major earthquake deterred travellers, particularly from Hong Kong and South Korea. Total arrivals for the first seven months of 2025 now stand just shy of 25 million, keeping Japan on track for another record year.