Decline in Chinese Tourist Visits Alarms Japanese Tourism Sector

The Japanese tourism sector experienced a substantial blow as the number of visitors from the Chinese mainland dropped by 45.3% in December 2025 compared to the previous year, according to official data released. The Japan National Tourism Organization disclosed that the count of Chinese mainland tourists stood at approximately 330,400 individuals by the end of December 2025. This decline in inbound tourism comes on the heels of controversial remarks on Taiwan by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in November. These remarks appear to have precipitated a significant shift, as the number of Chinese visitors plummeted from 715,700 in October to…