Visitors to Japan in Jan.-June Down for 1st Time in 5 Years

Tokyo, July 15 (Jiji Press)–The estimated number of foreign visitors to Japan in January-June fell 2.0 pct from a year before to 21,084,800, down for the first time in five years, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday. Although the first-half visitor tally topped 20 million for the second straight year, the decline was due to a slump in Chinese visitors amid the Chinese government’s call for its citizens to avoid traveling to Japan. Of the first-half total, 2,058,200 visitors came from mainland China, down 56.4 pct, 5,675,100 from South Korea, up 18.6 pct, and 3,972,200 from Taiwan, up 20.9 pct. In June alone, the estimated number of inbound visitors dropped 6.8 pct from a year before to 3,148,600, the third straight monthly decrease. Nevertheless, the numbers of visitors from South Korea and Taiwan hit respective June record highs. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]