Japan Saw Record Number of 1.22 Million Foreign Visitors In January

Above, Osaka Castle. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

2015 is off to a roaring start as far as foreign tourism to Japan is concerned.

The Japan Times reported:

The estimated number of foreign passengers arriving in Japan soared 29.1 percent in January from a year earlier to 1,218,400, hitting a record high for the month, government data showed on Wednesday. 

The Japan National Tourism Organization said the increase was due partly to the popularity of skiing and snow-related leisure activities. Relaxed visa requirements for visitors from Southeast Asia, the yen’s depreciation and the expansion of a list of duty-free products for foreign tourists also contributed to the rise, the agency said.

 To read more, go here.