(ECNS) -- Japan's summer tourism season is usually one of its busiest, but this year the country's inbound travel market has cooled significantly as the number of Chinese visitors declined.
The latest figures released by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) show that the number of foreign visitors to Japan fell 2% from a year earlier in the first half of 2026, marking the first contraction since international tourism recovered from the pandemic.
Since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office, repeated remarks regarding the Taiwan region have undermined the political foundation of China-Japan relations, negatively affecting bilateral economic and trade cooperation and dampening Chinese travelers' enthusiasm for visiting Japan.
Data from aviation information provider Hangbanguanjia show that in June alone, 25 air routes between China and Japan were suspended, while 1,488 flights between the Chinese mainland and Japan were canceled, representing a cancellation rate of 37.5%.
Li Tianguo, deputy director of the Office of Emerging Economies Studies at the Institute of Asia-Pacific and Global Strategy under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the decline in Chinese tourists has created a ripple effect across Japan's inbound tourism supply chain.
The decrease in Chinese visitors has reduced demand for cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, duty-free goods and other consumer products, while putting pressure on airlines, hotels, restaurants and tourism service providers that rely on overseas visitors, Li said.
A jewelry store clerk in Osaka told China News Network that sales have fallen noticeably because of fewer Chinese customers, forcing the store to discount many products.
According to Japan's Asahi Shimbun, Aomori Prefecture, which has traditionally relied heavily on the Chinese market, has continued trying to attract Chinese tourists despite strained bilateral ties. It was reported that during the 2026 Spring Festival holiday, Chinese visitors accounted for 30% of all inbound tourists to the prefecture. The report suggests that losing Chinese travelers would deal a heavy blow to local tourism industries that depend on the Chinese market.
Analysts say tourism is only one area affected. Political tensions have coincided with broader economic headwinds, including a weakening yen, rising inflation and declining purchasing power, adding further pressure to Japan's economy.
According to JNTO, Japan has set an ambitious goal of attracting 60 million foreign visitors and generating 15 trillion yen in tourism spending by 2030. However, Japanese research institutions estimate that, based on this year's performance, achieving that target would require visitor arrivals from countries and regions other than China to grow by an average of 10% annually starting in 2027.
Given the current trajectory of Japan's policies and the state of China-Japan relations, analysts say that goal appears increasingly difficult to achieve.
(By Gong Weiwei)
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