Chinese Visitors to Osaka Drop 61.5%, and Japan Feels Their Absence
The number of Chinese visitors to Osaka fell 61.5% between January and August to 1.501 million, a steeper decline than the national rate of 56.7%.
The Japanese website J-Cast reported that the city of Osaka received 1.501 million Chinese visitors between January and August 2026, compared to 3.897 million in the same period last year, marking a 61.5% decline.
This drop is steeper than the nation-wide decline across Japan of 56.7%, while the total number of foreign visitors to Osaka fell by 6.9% to 10.971 million.
Regarding air traffic, China route capacity at Kansai International Airport dropped by 70% in the winter of 2026 compared to the winter of 2024, whereas international flights arriving from outside China are expected to rise by 7%.
This decline reflects the impact of the absence of Chinese tourists on hotels, shops, and tourism services in Osaka, as businesses shift toward other markets to compensate for the decrease.
What do these terms mean?
Route capacity: The number of seats offered on a specific air route, measured by the capacity available for flights.
Kansai International Airport: A major airport serving the Osaka region and nearby Japanese cities, acting as a primary gateway for incoming tourists.
Inbound tourism: The number of visitors arriving in a country from abroad, used to track the volume and revenues of the tourism sector.
Weekly Newsletter
Read between the lines before everyone else. Decode the most important economic, tech, and decision-maker movements in the region.. in 5 minutes every Saturday.
