The Japan Tourism Agency plans to increase regions addressing overtourism from 47 to 100. This effort is included in the draft of the basic tourism promotion plan presented to an expert panel, outlining tourism policy through fiscal 2030. While keeping the inbound visitor target unchanged, it raises the repeat visitor goal from 36 million to 40 million.
The Japan Tourism Agency presented a draft of its basic tourism promotion plan to an expert panel on January 31, calling for stronger measures against overtourism by expanding the number of involved regions from the current 47 to 100. The plan, covering fiscal years 2026 to 2030, aims for Cabinet approval in March.
In 2025, inbound tourist spending hit a record ¥9.5 trillion, making it Japan's second-largest export after automobiles at ¥17 trillion. The agency positions inbound tourism as a strategic industry to drive regional and national economic growth. It retains the fiscal 2030 targets of 60 million visitors and ¥15 trillion in spending.
However, visitors from China, the largest group, have sharply declined since November due to worsening Japan-China relations following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Diet remarks on a possible Taiwan contingency. The draft highlights the need for a tourism strategy less reliant on specific countries or regions. It also stresses measures to enhance the industry's sustainability and resilience against risks like international shifts.
