Visitors to Japan Fall 3.6 Pct in May

Tokyo, June 17 (Jiji Press)–The estimated number of foreign visitors to Japan in May dropped 3.6 pct from a year earlier to 3,559,900, marking its second consecutive month of decline, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday. The number of Chinese visitors dropped for the sixth straight month as Beijing discouraged its citizens from traveling to Japan, plummeting 60.4 pct. Visitors from Thailand fell 8.6 pct due to the Southeast Asian country’s holiday schedule. Visitors from eight Middle Eastern countries jumped 67.8 pct to 39,000, the highest monthly total on record. The surge reflected the fact that an Islamic holiday period fell in May, as well as the resumption of some flights connecting the region to Japan. Japan saw visitors from South Korea, Taiwan and the United States hitting their respective highest levels for May. Visitors from South Korea increased 15.2 pct to 951,300, ranking first by country or region of origin, followed by Taiwan, up 14.6 pct to 616,800, the United States, up 7 pct to 333,700, and China, at 313,000. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]