TOKYO - The number of foreign visitors to Japan fell 2.0 percent from a year earlier to 21.1 million in the first six months of 2026, government data showed Wednesday, with travelers from China more than halving amid soured bilateral ties between the Asian neighbors.
The number of travelers from China plunged 56.4 percent from a year earlier to 2.06 million, while visitors from South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States all rose in the first half, data released by the Japan National Tourism Organization showed.
Following remarks last November by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Japan's potential involvement in a Taiwan contingency, China urged its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan. Beijing claims the self-ruled island as part of its territory and aims to bring it under its control, by force if necessary.
The total number of foreign visitors in June alone stood at 3.15 million, down 6.8 percent from a year earlier, according to the organization.
