Pace of Growth in Visitors to Japan Slows in July

August 16, 2018

Tokyo- The pace of year-on-year growth in the estimated number of visitors to Japan in July slowed to 5.6 pct from 15.3 pct in the previous month, due partly to effects from torrential rain that hit western Japan, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday.

The July growth was the slowest since the 1.9 pct drop in January 2013, slipping below 10 pct for the first time since the 9.0 pct rise marked in January this year.

Still, the number of visitors hit a record high for July, at 2,832,000, the organization said.

The number of visitors from South Korea dropped 5.6 pct to 608,000 and that of those from Hong Kong fell 3.3 pct to 226,800. Osaka, western Japan, is one of the popular destinations for South Korean and Hong Kong travelers.

The declines came after the rain caused fatal floods and mudslides in western Japan. Another negative factor was a powerful earthquake that struck northern Osaka in June.

By contrast, the number of visitors from China increased by 12.6 pct to 879,100, from Taiwan by 3.1 pct to 460,500 and from the United States by 13.4 pct to 146,700.

With extreme heat across Japan this summer, an official of the organization said that the growth in the number of visitors to the country may stay sluggish in August. Jiji Press