TOKYO: Group tourists from China arrived at Tokyo International Airport at Haneda on an All Nippon Airways flight Wednesday night, the first for the airline since Beijing lifted its ban on group tours to Japan on Aug. 10.

The tour was organized by a Chinese travel agency. Eighteen participants will spend five days and four nights touring Tokyo, the city of Kamakura and Mount Fuji.

A teenager who participated in the group tour, which is his fifth visit to Japan, said he wants to enjoy food such as the “sukiyaki” beef and vegetable dish. The tour conductor said Chinese people have special interest in visiting Japan after the removal of the ban.

China began suspending overseas group tours in January 2020 due to the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Last month, the total number of foreign tourists to Japan recovered to nearly 80 pct of that in July 2019 before the pandemic. But the number of Chinese tourists was only about 30 pct of the pre-pandemic level.

Group tours from China are expected to go into full swing from around the National Day holidays to mark the country’s founding Oct. 1, 1949, fueling hopes for vigorous spending by Chinese tourists.

JIJI Press