Japan Targets 100 Overtourism Zones by 2030

Japan has approved a new national tourism strategy aimed at tackling overtourism, setting a first-ever target to expand countermeasures to 100 locations by 2030.

The plan, endorsed by the Cabinet on Friday, acknowledges that heavy tourist concentrations are straining quality of life in popular destinations and underscores the need to better manage visitor flows as inbound tourism continues to drive economic growth.

Currently, 47 areas, including Kyoto, have already introduced measures shaped by local community feedback. The new five-year tourism plan, covering fiscal 2026 through 2030, builds on these efforts while maintaining ambitious national targets of attracting 60 million foreign visitors annually and generating 15 trillion yen ($94 billion) in tourism spending by the end of the decade.

Key measures include easing congestion on local roads, introducing visitor caps in high-traffic areas, and strengthening transportation networks to encourage travel to regional destinations beyond major tourist hubs. The government is also considering guidelines for dual pricing at public tourism facilities, potentially charging different rates for residents and international visitors.

Additional targets include increasing per-visitor spending from 229,000 yen in 2025 to 250,000 yen by 2030, and boosting repeat foreign visitors from 27.61 million to 40 million.

Japan’s tourism sector continues to surge, with international arrivals reaching a record 42.7 million in 2025 and total spending hitting an all-time high of 9.5 trillion yen. February alone saw a monthly record of approximately 3.47 million inbound visitors, according to government estimates.