Can Japan REALLY Accommodate 60 Million Tourists a Year?
The government wants to add another 25 million visitors by 2030. Is that even possible?
By Jay Andrew Allen
More people are traveling to Japan than ever. But it’s still not enough, says Japan’s government. The current government of Kishida Fumio aims to welcome 60 million visitors by 2030.
The question is: can it actually handle that many visitors? Here’s how Japan is planning to expand its carrying capacity in the next six years — and how you as a tourist to Japan can help with issues related to overtourism.
Even 35 million is straining the country
Japan has been piling on visitors post-health crisis at an amazing rate. Earlier this year (2024), it exceeded three million tourists a month for the first time in history.
This pace hasn’t abetted, either. Current estimates from the government’s Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) say the country welcomed 17,277,200 visitors between January and June 2024. It’s currently on track to log 35 million visitors by the end of the year.
