TOKYO: The number of foreign visitors to Japan in October is estimated to have surged 31.6 pct from a year before to 3,312,000, setting a new record for a single month, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday.

The monthly number exceeded 3 million for the first time since July, when Japan had 3,292,602 foreign visitors. The October figure was up 32.7 pct from the same month in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, the cumulative number of foreign visitors since January reached 30.19 million, surpassing the 30 million mark at the fastest pace since data began in 1964.

It is the first time for the annual number to exceed 30 million since 2019, when Japan was visited by 31.88 million foreign travelers. This year, the annual figure is certain to hit a record high, possibly topping 35 million.

In October, Japan attracted more visitors from China, the United States and elsewhere for the start of autumn in nature.

Visitors from South Korea numbered 732,100, the largest group by country or region, up 16.0 pct from a year earlier. China, which had a long holiday, ranked second with 582,800, up some 2.3-fold, followed by Taiwan, the United States and Hong Kong. The number of visitors surged from Europe, the Middle East and Singapore.

The number of Japanese citizens who went overseas between January and October rose 39.2 pct from a year earlier to 10.64 million, exceeding 10 million for the first time in five years. Still, it was down 36.4 pct from the same period in 2019, reflecting the weak yen and inflation at travel destinations.

JIJI Press