Foreign visitors to Japan hit 3.44 mil. in July, new record for month

Japan welcomed 3.44 million foreign visitors in July, marking a record for the month, according to government estimates released on Wednesday. This figure represents a 0.1 percent increase from the previous year. Travel demand remained robust throughout the summer holiday season in the northern hemisphere.

South Korea led the pack, with 894,700 visitors, a significant 31.9 percent rise compared to July last year. Taiwan also performed well, boasting 763,800 visitors, a 26.4 percent increase and setting a new monthly record. Conversely, China's visitor numbers dropped drastically by 56.1 percent to 428,200, reflecting strained bilateral relations between the two nations.

Seventeen other markets, including Indonesia and Mexico, also achieved record visitor numbers for July. The Japan National Tourism Organization highlighted that these figures reflect a diversification of visitor origins and a rise in spending on accommodation and related services, suggesting overall stability in the inbound tourism market.

Norio Kimura, a commissioner at the Japan Tourism Agency, noted at a press conference that increasing diversification of visitors and higher spending on lodging and other sectors indicate the tourism market will remain steady. However, he also pointed out a growing number of complaints about private lodging facilities used by visitors.

These issues pertain to noise disturbances and improper garbage disposal. Kimura emphasized the agency's commitment to ensuring proper operations, stating that it is essential for private lodging facilities to function without negatively impacting the local community's living environment.