Labor crunch, building costs cloud Japan's 60m tourist goal

Travel & LeisureMori Trust sees 42m visitors in 2026, calls for post-2030 tourism strategyMori Trust CEO Miwako Date says return visitors are key to reaching the government's goal of welcoming 60 million foreign travelers in 2030. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Marina Inoue and Tetsuo Takada)MAYUKO KURIHARA and AKANE OKUTSUJuly 14, 2026 19:12 JSTTOKYO -- Japan's tourism sector has remained resilient this year despite China's travel boycott and higher airfares linked to energy disruptions from the Middle East conflict, with Mori Trust on Tuesday forecasting 42 million overseas visitors in 2026, broadly in line with the record 42.6 million welcomed last year.