The number for foreign tourists that visited Japan in February 2025 was 3,258,100; and increase of 16.9% over February 2024 according to the Japan Tourism Agency.

This is the first time that the number of visitors for the month of February has exceeded 3 million.

With Lunar New Year celebrations lasting until early February, there was a strong increase in visitors from China and other Asian countries, with large increases from Australia and the United States as well due to a demand for winter sports like skiing.

Over the last year, 70% of foreign visitors to Japan stayed in the Tokyo, Aichi, and Kansai regions, and while the Agency has been trying to promote more regional tourism, the concentration of tourists in urban areas is increasing.

Agency Commissioner Haraikawa Naoya said that last year the number of tourists increased, especially from Europe and the US, and that for many it was their first visit to Japan, which may be the reason for the increase in tourism to urban areas.

With that in mind, the central government would like to continue with initiatives to encourage people to visit rural areas on their second and subsequent visits to Japan.