KATHMANDU: Japan recorded a decline in foreign visitors in January for the first time in four years, with numbers falling 4.9% year-on-year to approximately 3.6 million, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.

The drop, the first annual decrease since Jan 2022, was largely driven by a sharp 60.7% fall in tourists from China, who numbered just 385,300.

This marks the second consecutive month of decline from Chinese travelers.

The slowdown comes after Beijing urged its citizens to avoid visiting Japan, following remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi linking Japan’s security to Taiwan amid rising regional tensions.

The timing of the Chinese Lunar New Year in mid-February also contributed to lower January arrivals.

Tourism from other countries partly offset the decline, with visitors from South Korea up 22%, alongside increases from Taiwan and the United States.

However, the drop in Chinese tourists has hit Japan’s tourism sector, particularly affecting retail and duty-free sales, highlighting how geopolitical tensions can directly influence travel and commerce.