Foreign visitor arrivals to Japan fell 3.6% year on year to 3.56mn in May, as declining travel from China weighed on overall numbers amid deteriorating diplomatic relations between the two countries, according to government data released on June 17.

Kyodo News reports that the fall marked the second consecutive monthly decline. However, arrivals from the United States and Europe increased, according to the Japan National Tourism Organisation, suggesting limited disruption from wider geopolitical tensions, including conflict in the Middle East.

Tourism from China fell for a sixth straight month, dropping 60.4% year on year to 313,000. The decline followed remarks last November by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Japan’s potential involvement in a Taiwan-related contingency.

By contrast, arrivals from the Middle East rose 67.8% to 39,000, after a fall in April linked to the war in Iran, the data showed.

Timing effects also supported overall volumes, with Islamic holidays falling in May this year rather than June as in 2025. That offset some losses linked to flight disruptions affecting selected markets.

By origin, South Korea remained the largest source market at 951,300 visitors, up 15.2%. Taiwan followed with 616,800, up 14.6%, and the United States with 333,700, up 7.0%. China ranked fourth.

Travel from Britain meanwhile rose 6.0% to 55,200, while Germany increased 18.8% to 50,200, after declines across several European markets in April.