The number of foreign visitors to Japan surged 26.8 percent in September from a year earlier, thanks to more flights and a weaker yen, the government said Wednesday.
An estimated 1.1 million foreigners arrived in Japan last month on sightseeing or business, a record high for the month of September, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.
Among the countries, the number of Chinese travelers jumped 57.6 percent on the year to 246,100, and that from Taiwan posted a 6.7 percent increase to 220,800, the tourism bureau said.
The number of travelers from 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 September.
The bureau said the number of foreign visitors to Japan for the full 2014 is almost certain to hit a record 12 million on the back of increased international flights at Tokyo's Haneda Airport and the effect of easier visa requirements for Southeast Asian tourists.
The estimated total for the January-September period was just under 10 million, it said.
Last year, Japan received 10.4 million foreign travelers, achieving the government target of annual 10 million for the first time.
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.