JNTO executive vice president Tsutomu Wakamatsu addressing the Singapore incentive trade.
Japan is shifting its MICE focus from regional competition to global leadership, Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) executive vice president Tsutomu Wakamatsu told M&C Asia during an interview on the sidelines of the JNTO Incentive Travel Business Meeting in Singapore.
Catching up to the West
Japan’s New Era Inbound Expansion Action Plan, launched in May 2023 and running through March 2026, sets ambitious goals to elevate the country’s global standing in business events. Under the plan, it envisions Japan becoming Asia’s leading destination for international conferences by 2030 and to rank among the world’s top five.
Japan has already achieved its first milestone – securing the top spot in Asia for hosting international conferences according to ICCA’s 2024 rankings where Japan was placed seventh globally, drawing 428 international conferences, behind the United States (709), Italy (635), Spain (536), Germany (491), the UK (481) and France (432).
With regional leadership secured, JNTO is now focusing on closing the gap with Western markets.
Regional allies
Meanwhile, Asia is rapidly strengthening its competitiveness in the global meetings market, with the region recording a 15.9% increase in international conferences last year, outpacing Europe’s 7.6% growth, said Wakamatsu.
While Japan competes with destinations such as Singapore to attract major events, cooperation within Asia remains a key strategy. Competition is natural, but partnership is equally important, he noted, adding that to draw more international conferences to Asia, Japan will work closely with regional counterparts. Strengthening collaboration among Asian countries will be crucial in shifting more global events from Europe to this region.
Sights on South-east Asian markets
Japan also has key feeder markets in South-east Asia. Wakamatsu shared that Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia remain top priorities for JNTO, having achieved double digit growth in total visitors from January to September 2025 compared with the same period last year.
Singapore, despite its small population, contributed 430,000 visitors between January and September 2025, a 10.3% increase from the same period last year, while Malaysia and Indonesia grew 27% and 28% respectively.
Preferred experiences for incentive groups often mirror leisure travel trends, with travellers from markets such as Singapore showing strong interest in seasonal activities. He anticipates a surge in incentive travel to Japan in December, noting that many travel buyers, particularly institutional organisers, prefer to schedule incentive groups during the winter season, when snow activities are most appealing.
Dispersal success
Japan has designated 55 cities as official international conference and tourism hubs, highlighting the government’s commitment to spreading business events and visitor traffic beyond major urban centres. These cities are actively enhancing their capabilities to attract both incentive groups and leisure travellers, supporting broader regional tourism growth.
The strategy is showing results. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of events hosted in regional cities rose 28 per cent, from 152 to 194, while major cities saw an 11 per cent increase, from 211 to 234 events.
While flagship cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka rank among the top 20 Asia-Pacific destinations for international conferences according to ICCA, Japan’s 10 regional cities, including Sapporo, Fukuoka, and Sendai, are also ranked within the top 20–80. This highlights the depth and diversity of Japan’s conference-ready cities.