Foreign tourists to Japan reach record high 24-M in 2016

Foreign tourists to Japan reach record high 24-M in 2016 (Photo: Moyan Brenn/Flickr)

TOKYO—The number of foreign tourists to Japan reached a record high 24.04 million in 2016, up 22 percent from the previous year and topping 20 million for the first time, the tourism minister said Tuesday.

The pace of increase, however, was slower than 47 percent in 2015, amid a strong yen, China’s economic slowdown and earthquakes that hit Kumamoto Prefecture in April.

“Though the pace was slow, it continued to grow firmly. We hope to maintain this momentum by applying various measures,” Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Keiichi Ishii told a press conference.