Japan's Outbound Tourism Drops 8.8% This Summer as Weak Yen Raises Travel Costs

According to JTB, Japan's outbound tourist numbers are expected to decline 8.8% to 2.17 million during summer holidays (July 15-August 31), marking the first decline since the post-pandemic recovery began in 2023. Weak yen and rising costs are curbing demand, particularly for long-haul destinations like North America and Australia.

Per-person spending is projected to rise 6.3% to 323,000 yen (approximately $2,000), driven by currency depreciation and higher airfares linked to Middle East tensions and elevated fuel surcharges.