Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) reported that the number of international visitors to Japan in March 2019 was up 5.8% year on year to 2,608,000, which were record-high for March.
The graph below shows the annual results of international visitors to Japan in the past year:
Top market was China with 691,300 (+16.2%), followed by South Korea with 585,600 (-5.4%), Taiwan with 402,400 (+3.9%) and Hong Kong with 171,400 (-12.4%). In addition to South Korea and Hong Kong, the monthly reductions were seen in Philippines (-13.9%), Spain (-22.8%) and Australia (-6.9%).
JNTO said that the reductions in Hong Kong, Australia and Spain resulted from shift of Easter Break from late March last year to April. The South Korean market was affected by domestic economic downturn and also diversification of destinations, such as China or Vietnam.
The record-high results on a single month basis were seen in U.S., Canada, U.K., Germany and India, and the record-high results for March in China, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, France, Italy and Russia. In reverse, monthly reductions were seen in South Korea, Hong Kong, Australia and Spain.
