Visitors to Japan in Jan.-Nov. Top Yearly High

Tokyo, Dec. 17 (Jiji Press)–The number of foreign visitors to Japan in January-November is estimated to have totaled 39,065,600, already exceeding the annual record high of 36.87 million marked last year, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday. The 11-month figure grew 17.0 pct from a year earlier, putting the full-year tally on track to exceed 40 million for the first time. In November alone, the estimated number of foreign visitors to Japan rose 10.4 pct to 3,518,000 as the autumn foliage season attracted tourists. Meanwhile, the number of visitors from mainland China grew at the slowest pace this year in the latest reporting month, rising only 3.0 pct to 562,600. The slowdown reflected Beijing’s call for Chinese citizens to avoid visiting Japan. The number of visitors from South Korea in November rose 10.0 pct to 824,500, the largest figure by country or region. China came second, Taiwan third with 542,400, up 11.1 pct, and the United States fourth with 302,500, up 22.2 pct. Visitors from Hong Kong, which has cautioned its citizens over travel to Japan, decreased 8.6 pct. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]