In March 2026, Japan's tourism reached an all-time high with 3.6 million international visitors, reflecting a 3.5% increase compared to the previous year, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). This growth occurred despite a sharp decline in visitors from China, which fell by 56% to 291,600 due to travel warnings issued by Beijing. The number of tourists from the Middle East also dropped by 30% to 16,700, linked to the ongoing conflict in Iran. The JNTO attributed the overall increase to the cherry blossom season, which typically attracts many tourists, coinciding with school holidays during Easter in April. Historically, Chinese travelers constituted the largest group of visitors to Japan, but this trend has changed following deteriorating relations between Japan and China, especially after comments made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding potential military intervention in Taiwan. In contrast, visitors from South Korea have surged, becoming the largest contingent since January 2026, while tourism from Mexico increased by 70% and from Malaysia and Vietnam by nearly 45% each.