The CH photon emission rate, defined as the number of photons over a dissociation and/or ionization event of CH4, has been determined from the ratio of the measured emission intensity of the CH spectral band over the CH4 injection rate into the divertor plasma of JT-60U. Similar photon emission rates of CD for CD4, and CH and C2 for C2H4 and C2H6, have also been determined. Interestingly, the C2 spectral band intensity is found to increase during the CH4 and CD4 injection, suggesting that the injected CH4 reacts with the carbon divertor plates to form heavier hydrocarbons. Previously published chemical sputtering yields (Nakano et al 2002 Nucl. Fusion42 689) evaluated with the photon efficiencies determined in PISCES-A (Pospieszczyk et al 1989 UCLA Report UCLA-PPG-1251) have been re-evaluated using the measured emission rates. By applying the photon emission data found here and taking into account the C2 emission process originating from CH4, the re-evaluated total chemical sputtering yield becomes lower (∼7%) compared to the original in (Nakano et al 2002 Nucl. Fusion42 689) (∼8%), and the dependence on the incident ion flux and energy becomes weaker.