The Japanese government approved its basic tourism promotion plan on March 27, 2026, confirming a target to implement overtourism measures in 100 areas by 2030—building on a January draft. The plan balances resident quality of life with goals of 60 million inbound visitors and 15 trillion yen in spending.
Following the Japan Tourism Agency's draft presented to experts in January, the government approved its five-year basic tourism promotion plan (fiscal 2026-2030) in a cabinet meeting on March 27, 2026. For the first time, it sets a concrete target to expand overtourism initiatives from the current 47 areas (including Kyoto) to 100 by 2030, based on resident feedback.
Visitor concentrations have strained life in popular spots, prompting calls for robust measures while growing inbound tourism as an economic pillar. Key actions include easing local road congestion, capping visitor numbers, improving transport to spread crowds regionally, and exploring dual pricing at public facilities for residents versus tourists.
Targets remain at 60 million inbound visitors and 15 trillion yen ($94 billion) in spending by 2030, with per capita spending rising from 229,000 yen (2025) to 250,000 yen and repeat visitors increasing from 27.61 million to 40 million.
Inbound arrivals hit a record 42.7 million in 2025, with 9.5 trillion yen spent; February alone saw ~3.47 million. Regional efforts will leverage increased departure tax revenue, per The Japan Times.
