Japan received more than 3 million tourists in May

Japan received more than 3 million visitors for the third consecutive month in May, as a weak yen pushed inbound tourism to continue at record levels.

The number of business and leisure foreign visitors stood at 3.04 million last month, matching April's level and slightly below March's all-time monthly high, according to the Japan National Tourism Agency.

Last month's arrivals were 60 per cent higher than a year ago and 9.6 per cent higher than in May 2019. Japan received a record 31.9 million visitors in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic led to the closure of borders around the world.

The weak yen, which has fallen to a 34-year low against the dollar, is boosting tourism in Japan, good news for the economy. According to the National Tourism Administration, tourist spending in the first quarter of 2024 set a record of 1.75 trillion yen (about S $14.9 billion).

Chinese tourists, once the largest group of visitors to Japan, are still about 30 percent below pre-pandemic levels. Visitors from other markets are making up for the shortfall, such as India, which set a monthly record in May, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.

Last year, inquiries from India increased 11-fold, while those from the United Arab Emirates increased nearly eight-fold, said Mr. Feldman, the marketing director of the Japan Travel Company.

"Japanese food and nature appeal to them the most," Feldman said. Most of our Indian and Emirati clients request to add some gastronomic Tours to their itineraries, as well as outside trips to remote and scenic areas."