Recovery Stalling in Domestic Tourism among Japanese

Tokyo, Feb. 22 (Jiji Press)–The recovery of domestic tourism among Japanese people is stalling as consumers are becoming more thrifty amid rising prices. In 2025, the number of Japanese tourists at home increased 2.5 pct from the previous year to 553.66 million, decelerating significantly from the previous year’s growth of 8.5 pct, according to data released by the Japan Tourism Agency. The annual tourist figure was around 600 million before the COVID-19 pandemic but tumbled below 300 million in 2020, when an emergency was declared over the pandemic. As the pandemic subsided, the figure rebounded 55.8 pct in 2022. However, the pace of recovery has since been slowing. The tourist figure is projected to decrease 2.2 pct in 2026, according to major travel agency JTB Corp. In a survey by the company, 33.5 pct of respondents said that they would not travel domestically because they cannot afford to, making up the largest group, followed by 29.6 pct who said that travel costs are high. Meanwhile, a survey by the tourism agency showed that spending by Japanese tourists at home increased 6.4 pct to reach a record high in 2025. Spending per domestic trip also hit a record high. Shigeki Murata, head of the agency, said at a press conference that the survey results reflect widespread inflation. While tourism demand from foreign visitors remains strong, the domestic industry faces the challenge of offering travel opportunities that meet the needs of Japanese tourists. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]