Data from the National Statistics Office of Vietnam shows Japan was Vietnam’s sixth largest inbound market.
Pham Anh Vu, deputy general director of Du Lich Viet (Viet Tourism), explained the reason for this jump.
Since March 2026, visitors from 12 countries, including Japan, have been allowed to stay in Vietnam for up to 45 days without a visa regardless of passport type or travel purpose.
The waiver will be valid through March 2028.
Direct flights between the two countries take just 4 to 5 hours. In addition to the long-established services from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Airlines has added five weekly trips from Da Nang, one to Osaka and four to Tokyo.
Budget carrier Vietjet Air has introduced a new Hanoi-Shizuoka service with four weekly flights to offer travelers even more options.
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Mayo Tomita, from Japan, experiences the Ho Chi Minh City metro line. Photo by VnExpress/Tran Quynh |
Surveys and tourism experts also highlight the strong appeal of Vietnam.
According to an August PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) survey, Japanese travelers strongly favor Vietnam for its food and affordable prices, with the former being the primary driver of their travel choices.
PATA also reported that Vietnam also attracts married Japanese travelers aged 40 and above.
Travel tech company Hofafy reported that Vietnam ranks among the top 3 choices for Japanese tourists seeking vibrant experiences, heritage, and history.
Fumi Matsumoto, chief representative ofJapan National Tourism Organization in Vietnam, said the good connectivity makes the country ideal even for short trips.
“From a female traveler’s perspective, one of Vietnam’s key attractions is that I feel quite safe and secure when traveling here.”
Pham Hai Quynh, director of the Asian Tourism Development Institute, said however the sharp rise has been partly due to the low baseline in October 2025, when only 60,000 Japanese visitors came amid a weak yen and stiff competition from destinations like China.
This year, ongoing diplomatic tensions between China and Japan have caused many Japanese to choose Vietnam instead, he said.
He noted that lasting success depends on Vietnam’s own strengths, especially unique travel offerings and service quality, rather than temporary geopolitical shifts.
Meanwhile, outbound travel is recovering in Japan, with JTB, one of Japan’s largest travel agencies, forecasting that 16 million Japanese would travel abroad this year, 3% more than in 2025.
Japan represents a prized source market for Vietnam.
They plan well in advance, follow set itineraries, and spend on leisure, golf, and spa services.
Younger travelers are booking their own trips and leaning on social media reviews.
They enjoy shopping for distinctive local products, such as Bat Trang ceramics and embroidered goods, and experiencing everyday life like strolling through markets, eating sidewalk pho, and drinking coffee.
To attract high-spending guests, experts recommend increasing luxury resorts, simplifying entry rules, and providing signage also in English and Japanese.
Tour operators should also craft short cultural, culinary, and wellness trips with flexible seasonal pricing, and refine service quality down to the finest detail to meet Japanese standards, they add.