World's most favorite destination welcomes 3.7 million foreign visitors in May

By Hoang Vu June 20, 2025 | 03:07 pm PT

Visitors walk along Nakamise-dori Street as they visit Sensoji temple in Tokyo, Japan, Aug. 9, 2024. Photo by Reuters

Japan, which was named the world's most favorite travel destination in Condé Nast Traveler's 2024 Readers' Choice Awards, received 3.69 million foreign visitors in May, up 21.5% year-on-year, marking a record high for the month.

South Korea led with 825,800 visitors, a rise of 11.8%, followed by China with 789,900 arrivals, a sharp increase of 44.8%, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).

In contrast, arrivals from Hong Kong fell by 11.2% to 193,100, amid widespread social media rumors suggesting Japan could face a major disaster this summer, Japan Today reported.

Hong Kong Airlines has canceled its flights to Kagoshima and Kumamoto in southern Japan for July and August due to the unfounded rumor.

The JNTO has dismissed the claim, stating it has no scientific basis, and urged travelers to rely on information from official sources when making plans.

From January to May, Japan received approximately 18.1 million foreign visitors, a 23.9% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

The surge in arrivals has been fueled by a weak yen and intensified tourism promotion efforts.