APD | South Korean visitors to Japan down by half

By APD writer Alice

The number of South Korean visitors to Japan plunged 48.0 percent in August from a year earlier to 308,700 amid escalating tensions between the two neighbors over wartime history and trade policy, according to the Japan Tourism Agency.

The estimated number of foreign visitors fell 2.2 percent to over 2.52 million in the month, down for the first time since September last year when a powerful typhoon hit western Japan and a major earthquake rocked Hokkaido, the agency said.

While the Japanese government aims to attract 40 million foreign visitors by next year, when the country hosts the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, the target has been overshadowed by the deterioration in Tokyo-Seoul ties, which has prompted some airlines to suspend services connecting the two countries.

Despite the sharp drop in South Korean visitors to Japan, the number of Japanese visitors to South Korea increased 19.2 percent in July from a year earlier to 274,830, according to the Korea Tourism Organization, comprising the second-largest group of foreign visitors after China.

South Korea accounted for 24 percent of overall foreign tourists to Japan last year, ranking second in total number and spending after China.

By country and region in August, China topped the list at more than 1 million, up 16.3 percent, with Taiwan rising to second place at 420,300, up 6.5 percent.

South Korea dropped to third from second, with Hong Kong fourth at 190,300, down 4.0 percent, according to the agency.

The total number of foreign visitors to Japan between January and August rose 3.9 percent to a record 22.1 million, it said.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)