Taiwanese travelers became the biggest spenders in Japan in the first quarter of 2026, overtaking China as shifting travel patterns and currency trends reshaped the country's inbound tourism market.
According todata released by Japan's Tourism Agency, total spending by foreign visitors reached approximately ¥2.34 trillion (about $15.6 billion) from January to March, marking a modest 2.5% increase from a year earlier.
Taiwan accounted for the largest share, with visitors spending ¥388.4 billion (around $2.59 billion), a sharp 22.5% rise year-on-year. South Korea ranked second at ¥318.2 billion ($2.12 billion), followed by China at ¥271.5 billion ($1.81 billion), the United States at ¥259.2 billion ($1.73 billion), and Hong Kong at ¥148.2 billion ($988 million).
Chinese visitor spending halved
China, which had led all markets in Q1 2025 with ¥547.8 billion ($3.65 billion), saw its total nearly halved to ¥271.5 billion — a 50.4% decline — following the Chinese government's issuance of a travel restraint advisory discouraging visits to Japan.
For Japan's tourism sector, the gap appears to have been largely absorbed by visitors from other regions. Spending by travelers from Vietnam rose 71.3% compared with the same period last year, while Germany and the United Kingdom recorded increases of 59.6% and 46.9%, respectively.
Western visitors lead in per-capita spending
While Taiwan leads in overall spending, visitors from Western countries continue to outspend others on a per-trip basis. Travelers from Europe and North America spent an average of about ¥221,000 (roughly $1,473) per visit. Among individual markets, France recorded the highest per-capita spending at ¥407,759 ($2,718), followed by Australia at ¥404,298 ($2,695) and Germany at ¥398,753 ($2,658).
The higher spending levels largely reflect longer stays and stronger demand for premium dining and experience-oriented travel, pushing per-person expenditures to roughly double those of most Asian visitors.
Frequency vs. spending power
Taiwan's top ranking is driven less by individual spending and more by travel frequency. Taiwanese visitors are among the most frequent repeat travelers to Japan and maintain consistently strong retail consumption. This combination of high visit frequency and steady spending has allowed Taiwan to take the lead in total consumption, even as Western visitors dominate on a per-capita basis.
