Just under 80,000 Aussies visited Japan last month, marking a near 20 per cent year-on-year rise in visitation from Australia, new data has revealed.
Citing official Japan Tourism Statistics data, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) announced that 78,900 Australians visited the Asian nation in May 2025, an increase of 18.7 per cent over the same period the year before.
But here’s the kicker… the continued boom in Japan-bound travel came during an off-peak period for the country, which helps one of JNTO’s main goals of distributing tourism more evenly throughout the year.
The large rise followed a record month in April, which saw 42.6 per cent more Aussies visit Japan than in the same month in 2024. According to JNTO, around 115,000 Australians hit its shores during the month, which saw the Easter period, school holidays and cherry blossom season take place just weeks apart.
Now, the Asian hotspot needs to deliver on one of its other stated goals: a greater dispersal of tourism throughout the country.
Speaking about the April figures, JNTO Australia Executive Director Naoki Kitazawa said recent demand has been “incredibly strong”.
“Increased airline capacity, special offers and a favourable exchange rate are spurring Australian travellers to discover Japan’s distinctive regions, each with their own character, culture and cuisine, from hiking and cycling in magnificent national parks year-round to summer island-hopping in Okinawa or Ogasawara or seeking out authentic one-of-a-kind local experiences,” he remarked.
“While first-time visitors have historically headed to the Golden Route of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, or the ski fields in Hokkaido and Nagano, Japan has so much more to offer, and we are delighted to welcome Australian travellers to embrace it all.”
