Japan inbound boom becomes policy priority

According to Phocuswright research, Japan's total travel bookings grew 8% to $94.2 billion in 2025, with inbound arrivals reaching a record 42.7 million, while outbound travelers totaled only 14.7 million. The Japanese government now treats tourism as a key economic driver, targeting 60 million inbound visitors and ¥15 trillion in spending by 2030, with a focus on higher-value travel, regional dispersion, and overtourism management.