Drop in tourists from China to inflict heavy losses on Japan

The sharp drop in tourists from China will result in an annual loss of over one trillion yen (around $6.35 billion) for Japan, which is already suffering from economic slowdown, according to a Japanese economist.

Takahide Kiuchi, an economist at the Tokyo-based Nomura Research Institute, predicted in a report by Cailian Press that if one quarter of Chinese tourists give up their visiting plans in the coming year, the economic losses for Japan may amount to about 1.49 trillion yen. As a result, the overall GDP of Japan will decline 1.79 trillion yen, which is about 0.29 percent of Japan's GDP in 2024.

China has long been an important pillar for Japanese tourism industry. In the first three quarters of 2025, the number of Chinese tourists traveling in Japan reached 7,487,200, accounting for 23.66 percent of its overall overseas travelers, according to statistics by Japan National Tourism Organization.

China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Sunday advised Chinese citizens to avoid traveling to Japan, citing security concerns. Major Chinese airlines have since issued notices for free cancellations or modifications for flights to Japan. Media reports say that from November 15 to 17, more than 491,000 flights from China to Japan were canceled.