Japan's Outbound Travel Slumps Amid Weak Yen and Stagnant Incomes

The Japanese government's goal of increasing outgoing students and pupils to 500,000 by 2033 seems like an ambitious target, considering that only 14.7 million Japanese traveled abroad in 2025.

According to recent data, the number of Japanese citizens holding valid passports has increased slightly from 17.3 percent a year ago but remained well below pre-pandemic levels at 22.82 million.

The yen's weakness is largely attributed to the prolonged stagnation in productivity, which has resulted in lower wages and higher costs for foreign travel, making it less affordable for Japanese households.