The number of foreign visitors to Japan surged 37.0 percent in October from a year earlier, thanks to more flights, a weaker yen and the expanded tax free shopping, the government said Wednesday.
An estimated 1.27 million foreigners arrived in Japan last month on sightseeing or business, marking the all-time high since records began in 1964, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.
Among the countries, the number of Taiwanese travelers rose 21.9 percent to 260,300, and that from South Korea saw a 57.7 percent year-on-year jump to 249,600, the tourism bureau said. Visitors from China jumped 84.0 percent from a year earlier to 223,300, thanks to its weeklong National Day holidays from Oct. 1.
The number of travelers from Japan's 17 major tourism markets, including China, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, India, the US, Canada, France and Germany hit record highs for the month of October.
In the January-October period, the total number of foreign visitors to the country hit a record high of 11 million on the back of increased international flights and more arrivals of large cruise ships, as well as the effect of easier visa requirements for Southeast Asian tourists. The bureau said the number of foreign visitors to Japan for the full 2014 would reach a record 13 million.
Last year, Japan received 10.4 million foreign travelers, achieving the government target of annual 10 million for the first time. To woo foreign tourists, starting from October 1, the government expanded scope of items eligible for tax exemption.
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.