The Japan National Tourism Organization announced that the number of foreign visitors to Japan in January was approximately 3.6 million, marking a 4.9% decrease compared to the same month the previous year. This downturn is particularly notable as it has been four years since such a negative trend was observed, with the last similar instance occurring in January 2022, which was still influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. A major contributing factor to this drop is the significant decline of visitors from China, which fell by 60.7% compared to the previous year. This decline is believed to be associated with China's strong backlash against comments made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Taiwan last November, which led to sustained calls from China for its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan.

In terms of visitor numbers by country, South Korea topped the list with 1.18 million visitors, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 21.6%. Taiwan followed closely with 694,500 visitors, marking a 17.0% increase. In contrast, the number of visitors from China was significantly lower at 385,300. The overall decrease in visitors from China, along with declines from Hong Kong (down 17.9%) and Malaysia (down 3.3%), is also influenced by the timing of the Lunar New Year celebrations. Last year, these festivities began in late January, while this year's celebrations are scheduled for mid-February, impacting travel patterns.

The implications of this decline in foreign visitors are multifaceted. It raises concerns about the recovery of Japan's tourism industry, which had been making strides towards rebounding from the impacts of the pandemic. Additionally, the strained diplomatic relations between Japan and China are likely to continue affecting tourism trends, prompting policymakers to consider strategies to mitigate such impacts and foster a more welcoming atmosphere for international visitors, particularly from China where contributions to the tourism sector have historically been significant.