Cabinet approves Japan's fifth national tourism plan, sets 60 million visitors target for 2030

Japan’s cabinet approved a new five-year tourism plan on March 27 that keeps a target of 60 million inbound visitors by 2030 and pairs it with a 15 trillion yen spending goal. The plan, formally the fifth Tourism Nation Promotion Basic Plan, covers fiscal 2026 through 2030 and sets the government’s tourism policy direction through the end of the decade. Official and industry summaries say the strategy also expands overtourism countermeasures and puts more weight on regional travel, repeat visitors and higher-value spending. The approval came after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told ministers on March 18 to finalize the plan by the end of fiscal 2025. The government framed tourism as part of its broader regional revitalization agenda, while acknowledging strains in heavily visited destinations. Japan’s recent inbound rebound has sharpened that tension: the country welcomed more than 42 million foreign visitors in 2025, according to Kyodo. ### When did the government actually approve the plan? March 27, 2026 was the cabinet approval date for the new plan, according to official and industry accounts. That matters because some later coverage on May 19 discussed the plan as a current issue, but the cabinet decision itself was made in late March. March 18, 2025 was when Ishiba instructed ministers to draw up the new plan for fiscal 2026-2030. The Prime Minister’s Office said the plan should include measures needed to reach 60 million visitors and 15 trillion yen in spending by 2030. ### What targets are in the new tourism plan? The headline target is 60 million foreign visitors to Japan in 2030. The plan also keeps a 15 trillion yen target for inbound travel spending by that year. Travel industry coverage of the approved plan says Japan also set a goal of 40 million repeat international visitors by 2030. That reflects a shift from pure volume toward visitor mix, longer-term demand and return travel. ### Why is regional tourism so central to the plan? Kyodo reported that reaching 60 million visitors will require steering travelers beyond the main city corridor. That reflects a problem the government has identified in places such as Kyoto and other crowded destinations, where resident complaints and congestion have become part of the tourism debate. The cabinet-approved plan aims to expand the number of regions taking overtourism measures to 100 by 2030, from 47 areas previously. Official and media accounts say those measures are meant to spread demand, protect residents’ quality of life and support local economies outside the biggest gateways. ### What does the government say about overtourism? The plan says concentrated visitor flows are affecting residents’ quality of life in popular destinations, according to reporting on the cabinet decision. That language places overtourism control inside, not outside, Japan’s growth strategy. The Japan Tourism Agency and related policy summaries describe the approach as combining growth with sustainability. In practice, that means promoting regional destinations, improving local capacity and managing congestion while continuing to push for higher inbound totals. ### How does this fit with Japan’s recent tourism boom? Kyodo said Japan received more than 42 million visitors in 2025. That figure shows how much of the 2030 target has already been reached, but it also explains why the debate has shifted from reopening and recovery to crowding, distribution and spending quality. The new plan therefore does not abandon growth targets. Instead, it sets a five-year framework for fiscal 2026-2030 in which national ministries, the Japan Tourism Agency and local governments are expected to carry out the next phase of tourism policy. Fiscal 2026 is the first year covered by the plan, and 2030 is the deadline for its main targets: 60 million inbound visitors, 15 trillion yen in spending, 40 million repeat visitors and overtourism measures in 100 regions.