Tourism Japan's Tourism White Paper shows record travel expenditure

Japan welcomed a record 42.68 million foreign visitors in 2025, while spending by overseas tourists climbed to an all-time high of 9.5 trillion yen, according to the 2026 Tourism White Paper approved by the Cabinet on 10 July. The number of inbound visitors was up about 16% on the previous year, with tourist spending rising by roughly 17%. Although the share of travellers from Asia fell, expanded airline services helped bring more visitors from Europe, the United States, Australia and other overseas markets.




The White Paper also revealed that more than 70% of accommodation providers in Japan are struggling with staff shortages. With the number of foreign visitors continuing to grow, the agency said hotels and other lodging businesses need to improve wages and working conditions to attract and retain staff. A survey carried out between December and January found that 72.2% of 522 accommodation facilities across the country were facing labour shortages.