LOC19:17
16:17 GMT
TOKYO, June 18 (KUNA) -- The number of foreign visitors to Japan jumped 25.3 percent in May from a year earlier to top 1 million, the government said on Wednesday.
An estimated 1.10 million foreigners arrived in Japan last month on sightseeing or business, a record high for the month of May, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. The figure was also the second-highest after the all-time high of 1.23 million logged in April.
Among the countries, the number of Taiwanese travelers, the biggest source last month, jumped 44.1 percent from a year earlier to 282,000, a record high for the month, the tourism bureau said. Visitors from South Korean fell 14.6 percent to 195,000 as the country was in somber mood after April ferry accident, which left more than 300 people dead or missing.
The number of Chinese visitors more than doubled to 166,000, also a record high for the month, despite tensions over a territorial dispute between the two countries. In addition, the number of travelers from Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Australia, the US, Canada, France and Germany reached all-time highs for the month of May.
The number of foreign visitors has grown thanks to the effect of easier visa requirements for Southeast Asian tourists, increased flight capacity and enhanced collaboration with overseas tour operators, the bureau said. Last July, the government relaxed visa requirements for Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, to draw more tourists from the region. Earlier this week, Toyo also decided to further relax visa requirements for some other Southeast Asian countries.
About 10.4 million foreigners visited Japan last year, achieving the government target of annual 10 million for the first time. The government aims to double the number of international visitors to 20 million by the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and then triple it by 2030 to boost Japan's economy. (end)
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