TOKYO, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The number of visitors from the Chinese mainland to Japan fell 56.8 percent year on year in April, marking the fifth consecutive month of decline, government data showed Wednesday.

Data released by the Japan National Tourism Organization showed that Chinese mainland visitor arrivals in the first four months of 2026 dropped 55.1 percent from the same period a year earlier.

Since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made erroneous remarks on Taiwan, the number of Chinese mainland tourists traveling to Japan has continued to decline, putting pressure on Japan's retail, accommodation and catering sectors.

In addition to the Chinese mainland market, visitor numbers from Europe and the Middle East also decreased notably in April.

Affected by the prolonged tensions in the Middle East, multiple flight routes have reduced services and air ticket prices have risen, leading to a 21.4 percent year-on-year drop in visitors from the Middle East.

Among major European countries, the number of visitors to Japan from Italy, Spain and Germany fell 34.2 percent, 21.6 percent and 15.2 percent, respectively, from a year earlier.

Financial reports recently released by several Japanese companies showed that duty-free sales have come under significant pressure due to the decline in Chinese tourists.

For fiscal year 2025, which runs from April 2025 to March 2026, the combined duty-free sales of three department stores in Fukuoka declined 20 percent year on year. Among them, Hakata Daimaru department store reported a 39 percent decline in duty-free sales, resulting in losses. ■