Foreign visitors to Japan hit record high for October

The number of foreign visitors to Japan in October hit a record high for the month.

The Japan National Tourism Organization estimates nearly 3.9 million foreign travelers arrived in October. That's up 17.6 percent from a year earlier.

The number of visitors from South Korea was up 18.4 percent to 867,200, and those from China 22.8 percent to 715,700.

Arrivals from Taiwan were up 24.4 percent to 595,900, and from the United States 20.6 percent to 335,700. Visitors from Hong Kong, however, dropped 1.4 percent to 196,000.

The total number of foreign visitors between January and October stood at about 35.5 million. The record pace of increase apparently resulted from factors including the weaker yen.

But China on Friday called on its nationals to refrain from traveling to Japan, in response to a remark this month by Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae on a possible Taiwan emergency.

Some cancellations of tours from China have been reported since then. The Japanese government intends to calmly watch China's moves.

nhk