Japan saw fewer foreign visitors overall, but Thai tourists came in larger numbers. This shows how a small visa change can affect tourism.

Overall foreign arrivals to Japan fell 2.9% year‑on‑year to 30.7 million between January and September, mainly because Chinese visitors dropped sharply. During the same period, Thailand was Japan’s sixth‑largest source of inbound tourism.

Industry insiders said the rise in Thai visitors was caused by Japan’s easing of visa requirements. Japan extended its visa‑free entry scheme for ordinary Thai passport holders, allowing stays of up to 15 days per trip until June 30 2027.

Thanapol Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents and honorary adviser to the Thai Travel Agents Association, forecast a about 6% increase in Thai arrivals in 2026 compared with 2025. He noted that more than 1.23 million Thais visited Japan in 2025.

The data show that easing visa rules can quickly raise visitor numbers from a neighboring country. Thailand’s growing visits help Japan’s tourism even when other markets fall.