Japan
Note on IPS
Please note, 2024 data from the International Passenger Survey is badged as ‘official statistics in development’ and estimates are subject to future change as further improvements to the methodology are introduced. VisitBritain analysis for Japan, has found that the year-on-year trend suggested by IPS for the second half of 2024 was much lower than the trend seen by other sources, so data for this period should be used with caution. The ONS are not endorsing comparisons with previous years. See the ONS website for more information.
Japan
Travellers from Japan made 13.3 million outbound visits in 2024, with a total international tourism expenditure of US$13.4 billion.
In 2024, the UK welcomed 226,000 visits from Japan. During the travellers’ visits, their total expenditure was £247.2 million, with an average spend of £1,093 per visit.
Visitor characteristics
- Japanese visitors are younger than average. Almost half of visitors from Japan in 2024 were aged 16-34, compared to the average of 33%.
- Japanese visitors are more likely than other markets to be travelling for business or study purposes. Business visits contributed 36% of all spend, twice the market average of 18%, while study visits generated 19% of all visitor spend.
- Japanese visitors favour London as a main destination when visiting Britain, spending 52% of nights in the capital.
- Two thirds of all Japanese visits to the UK originate in the Greater Tokyo Metropolitan Area, with 57% from Tokyo itself.
Explore the inbound data in full
Use our visualisations to see data from this market in greater depth and clarity. Compare annual statistics, and filter by age group, gender, trip duration and more. Includes seasonality, trip purpose and regional spread of visitors to UK destinations. This data is based on the International Passenger Survey, conducted by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
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Perceptions of Britain in the Japanese market
- The Japanese hold the UK in high regard, ranking it fourth among 50 nations in the 2024 Anholt Nation Brands Index.
- The UK’s vibrant city life/urban attractions were ranked third, while culture in general, sport and contemporary culture all ranked within the top five.
Global context
Top-level statistics relating to tourism expenditure and popular destinations for this market. For greater detail on inbound tourism flows from this market to the UK, see our data visualisations.
| Measure | 2024 |
| International tourism expenditure (US$bn) | 13.4 |
| Global rank for international tourism expenditure | 26 |
| Number of outbound visits (m) | 13.3 |
| Most visited destination | South Korea |
| Most visited destination in Europe | Spain |
Caring for visitors
- Leisure travellers generally prefer to stay in three-star or higher categories of hotels. Japanese women in their 20s and 30s like to stay in greater luxury (four- or five-star hotels), while students prefer budget accommodation.
- There is a preference for quick service, breakfast buffets, set-meal lunches and express check-in for groups.
- A direct ‘no’ is likely to be avoided in formal situations: Japanese travellers will use alternatives where possible. Small, thoughtful touches will be noticed and appreciated.
The leisure and travel trade
- The Japanese travel industry is a specialised and customer-focused sector.
- Many travel agencies have increased their online presence as direct booking online has increased. But 85% of all long-haul travel is still booked through a traditional ‘high street agent’.
- Travel products are geared towards the 65+ age group; they have both the money and time to travel abroad.
Access to Britain from Japan
The key routes and transport modes that connect this market with the UK.
| Measure | 2024 |
| Weekly aircraft departures | 33 |
| Weekly seat capacity | 7,648 |
| Airports with direct routes in Japan | 1 |
| Airports with direct routes in Britain | 1 |
- In 2024, 89% of Japanese visitors arrived in Britain via plane (IPS).
- Tokyo Haneda (HND) to London Heathrow (LHR) is the only direct route from Japan.
- Non-stop flights are operated by British Airways, Japan Airlines and ANA service
- Following the COVID-19 pandemic, scheduled seat capacity on non-stop flights from Japan to the UK had recovered to 90% of 2019 levels in 2024.
To see entry requirements for visitors to the UK from Japan click here.
To see rates for Air Passenger Duty charged on passengers flying to Japan from the UK click here.
Further resources
Where visitors from Japan to the UK reside in their own country.xlsx
How we source this information
We work with a number of data sources to provide a rich and insightful picture of our key inbound source markets. This includes, but is not limited to, data provided by Oxford Economics, the UNWTO, Apex, Anholt-Ipsos Nation Brands Index and from our own surveys and ad-hoc research. The largest share of the data come from the International Passenger Survey (IPS) by the ONS.
Visit our About the International Passenger Survey page for more information on how the data is collected and analysed.
