TOKYO - Japan welcomed a record 3.31 million foreign visitors last month, official data showed on Wednesday, as the weak yen propelled a tourism boom that is pouring money into the country’s coffers.
Tourism spending, classified as an export in national accounts, is poised to become Japan’s second-biggest export earner after automobiles and ahead of electronic components.
The number of foreign visitors for business and leisure in October rose from 2.87 million in September and exceeded the previous monthly record of 3.29 million set in July, data from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) showed.
Through October, 30.2 million tourists have arrived in Japan, just shy of the full-year record of 31.9 million set in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic shut global borders.
Japan’s famous autumn leaf colours contributed to increased tourism demand last month from many markets across Asia, Europe, and North America, the JNTO said. Through October, 11 countries and regions have surpassed annual records for sending visitors to Japan.
Travellers spent 5.86 trillion yen ($37.7 billion) in Japan through September, preliminary figures showed last month. That eclipsed the 5.3 trillion yen they spent in all of 2023, which was a record for any 12-month period.
In September 2024, South Korea had the highest number of foreign visitors to Japan at 656,700, followed by China at 652,300, Taiwan at 470,600 and Hong Kong at 170,200. Thailand ranked fifth with 45,500 visitors, up from 34,700 in August. (Source: Japan Tourism Statistics)
Tourism spending, classified as an export in national accounts, is poised to become Japan’s second-biggest export earner after automobiles and ahead of electronic components.
The number of foreign visitors for business and leisure in October rose from 2.87 million in September and exceeded the previous monthly record of 3.29 million set in July, data from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) showed.
Through October, 30.2 million tourists have arrived in Japan, just shy of the full-year record of 31.9 million set in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic shut global borders.
Japan’s famous autumn leaf colours contributed to increased tourism demand last month from many markets across Asia, Europe, and North America, the JNTO said. Through October, 11 countries and regions have surpassed annual records for sending visitors to Japan.
Travellers spent 5.86 trillion yen ($37.7 billion) in Japan through September, preliminary figures showed last month. That eclipsed the 5.3 trillion yen they spent in all of 2023, which was a record for any 12-month period.
In September 2024, South Korea had the highest number of foreign visitors to Japan at 656,700, followed by China at 652,300, Taiwan at 470,600 and Hong Kong at 170,200. Thailand ranked fifth with 45,500 visitors, up from 34,700 in August. (Source: Japan Tourism Statistics)
