The Japan Tourism Agency has released a revised basic plan to more than double the number of regions tackling overtourism to 100, while maintaining ambitious goals for boosting inbound visitor numbers and spending.

The agency presented the draft revision of its “Basic plan for the promotion of a tourism nation” to an expert panel on March 11.

The new five-year plan, covering fiscal years 2026 to 2030, was largely approved on the same day and is expected to receive a final Cabinet decision this month after minor revisions.

The number of visitors to Japan in 2025 exceeded 40 million, with spending reaching a record high of 9.5 trillion yen ($59.9 billion). 

The agency targets set prior to this plan–60 million visitors and 15 trillion yen in spending by 2030–remain unchanged in the revised version. 

To support the expanded effort against issues such as overcrowding and noise, local governments will formulate their own countermeasures.

The central government will provide financial assistance for projects such as developing reservation systems and installing more toilets and trash cans.

The plan also highlights the need to prepare for international instability, pointing to the current sharp decrease in visitors from China amid worsening bilateral relations.

In response, it calls for promoting tourism among a more diverse range of countries and regions to ensure stability.