World's 'most favorite destination' sees tourist arrivals rebound to hit 3.44 million in July - VnExpress International

Crowds fill the Nakamise shopping street leading to Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo, on July 19, 2023. Photo by AP

According to data released by the Japan National Tourism Organization on Aug. 19, the travel recovery was largely driven by a strong influx of tourists from neighboring places such as South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

There was a sharp drop in visitors from mainland China, down 56.1% year-on-year to 428,200.

The decline followed a travel advisory issued by Beijing in November 2025 urging Chinese citizens to avoid Japan due to escalating diplomatic tensions over Taiwan.

In contrast, South Korean visitor numbers were up 31.9% at 894,700 visitors to top the list.