In May, the number of foreign visitors to Japan reached 3.04 million, a 60.1% increase from the previous year, marking the third consecutive month exceeding 3 million visitors. The surge was attributed to China’s holiday season and increased flights and ships from East Asia.
Visitor numbers from various countries, including South Korea and the United States, hit record highs for the month. From January to May, the total number of visitors stood at 14.64 million, a 6.5% increase from 2019 before the pandemic.
South Korea had the largest number of visitors at 738,800, followed by China at 545,400. Taiwan and the U.S. also saw significant increases in visitor numbers.
Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner Ichiro Takahashi stated that if the current pace continues, total visitors could surpass the annual record set in 2019. Meanwhile, the number of Japanese traveling overseas in May was up from the previous year but still down compared to 2019.
© KYODO