Kyodo News on July 19 reports that Japan experienced a record-breaking influx of 17.78 million foreign tourists in the first half of 2024. The depreciation of the yen has further boosted spending, reaching a new quarterly high of approximately 2.1 trillion yen from April to June.
According to government sources on Thursday, the number of tourists in the first six months surpassed the previous record of 16.63 million set in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. In June alone, Japan welcomed a record-breaking 3.14 million foreign tourists, marking the fourth consecutive month where the figure exceeded 3 million.
If the current trend continues, Japan is expected to surpass the 2019 record of 31.88 million foreign tourists by the end of 2024.
In June, South Korea contributed the highest number of visitors with approximately 700,000 tourists, followed by around 660,000 from China, 570,000 from Taiwan, 300,000 from the United States, and 250,000 from Hong Kong. Tourists from Thailand also saw an increase, driven by the weakening yen since the beginning of the year.
The rapid increase in tourists has posed various challenges for Japan, including attracting visitors to lesser-known regions and addressing issues such as traffic congestion and unfamiliarity with Japanese customs and etiquette.
