Should you avoid heading to Japan in 2025? Narita Airport sees record number of foreign travellers

Narita International Airport, Japan’s major gateway to the world, witnessed a significant surge in international passenger traffic in 2024.

With overtourism causing well documented issues in some of Japan’s busiest locations, many will be wondering if they should head to Japan in 2025, or wait until the countries current tourism boom levels off.

Airport traffic statistics released by Narita International Airport Corp (NAA), who operate the airport in Narita, Chiba Prefecture, show that a record number of foreigners passed through the airport last year.

For the first time since its opening in 1978, the airport welcomed over 20 million non-Japanese passengers, a testament to the growing allure of Japan for foreign travelers, particularly fueled by the weakened yen.

For the first time ever, over 20 million foreign travellers passed through Narita Airport in one year

Overall, Narita Airport experienced a robust 22% increase in passenger traffic in 2024 compared to the previous year, reaching 39,807,651 passengers.

This figure represents a remarkable 90% recovery compared to the record-breaking 44,344,739 passengers recorded in 2019.

International passenger traffic saw a particularly strong rebound, increasing by 29% to reach 32,205,839 passengers in 2024.

Notably, the number of non-Japanese passengers surged by 36% to 21,793,034, surpassing the 2019 figure by 20%.

In contrast, while international travel demand among Japanese citizens increased by 31%, it only reached 54% of the 2019 level, indicating a persistent sluggishness in outbound travel for Japanese residents.

International travel increased among Japanese citizens, but it is yet to return to levels seen pre-pandemic

While international travel rebounded significantly, domestic passenger traffic also saw robust growth, reaching 7,601,812 passengers, the third-highest figure on record.

Akihiko Tamura, President of Narita International Airport Corporation (NAA), commented: “The weakened yen, currently hovering around ¥150 to the dollar, has undoubtedly incentivized international travel to Japan, however, it has also presented challenges for Japanese travelers seeking to explore destinations abroad.”

Aircraft movements at Narita Airport also experienced a notable increase, rising 15% to 242,071 in 2024, reaching 92% of the 2019 level. International flights saw a 20% increase, recovering to 91% of 2019 levels.

Total number of aircraft movements at Narita Airport increased in 2024

While passenger flights experienced robust growth, domestic cargo flights, despite a 4% increase from the previous year, remained 24% below 2019 levels.

International cargo volume, however, showed positive signs, increasing by 4% to 1,945,795 tons in 2024, surpassing the previous year’s figures for the first time in three years.

Japan’s tourism industry is not currently expecting the number of foreign travellers seeking to visit the country to decrease any time soon, with 2025 expected to be one of the busiest years ever.

If you’re contemplating a trip to Japan but want to wait until visitor levels are lower during peak times, you may be waiting a considerable amount of time.

Travellers wanting to avoid crowds are best advised to consider visiting Japan during off-peak times

The best bet to avoid large crowds during your trip to Japan is to explore the possibility of visiting during off-peak times, such as January/February or late September through to mid December, when visitor levels tend to be at their lowest.