Number of overseas tourists in Tokyo 2011-2020

In 2020, the number of inbound foreign tourists visiting Tokyo in Japan amounted to around 2.52 million, declining by over 12 million compared to 2019. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions and bans were placed on international travel, resulting in a low number of inbound travelers to Japan.

Why did foreign visitor numbers in Tokyo increase during the past decade?

If we look at pre-COVID-19 times, foreign visitor numbers significantly increased in the whole of Japan during the past decade. One of the reasons for this might be the Japanese government’s endeavors to promote tourism and proliferate Japanese culture, perhaps best embodied by the marketing term “Cool Japan” developed by Japan’s government. Various policies and long-term projects, such as the “Inbound Travel Promotion Project”, or the “Promotion of MICE Hosting and Attraction”, had been devised and enacted to attract international tourists and make Japan a tourism hub. The government started investing substantially in tourism more than a decade ago, as it realized the potential of tourism to invigorate the Japanese economy. The improvement of facilities and infrastructure to meet foreign expectations were accompanied by the relaxation of visa entry requirements, which resulted in heightened inbound travel.

How does Tokyo compare to other places in Japan?

Tokyo was the most visited prefecture among international tourists , with nearly half of foreign travelers who came to Japan paying a visit to the capital. This situation was also reflected in data regarding airports. Narita International and Tokyo International (Haneda) were among the leading airports in terms of the number of passengers handled on international flights and together accounted for more than half the international entries by airplane to the country.

Who is visiting?

Most international visitors to Japan come from Asian countries, with China, South Korea, and Taiwan occupying the first three places. Visitor numbers from the U.S. are the only exception to the otherwise predominant Asian traveler base, with figures surpassing the one million mark regularly.