Japan's November Tourist Numbers Rise 27%

Above, the Asahi Beer Hall and the Tokyo Skytree. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan's tourist industy is all smiles as November's figures are in.

According to the Nikkei Asian Review:

TOKYO -- Japan took in 27% more foreign visitors in November than a year earlier as budget airlines expanded their reach in Asia, the country's tourism promotion agency said. 

Some 2.37 million visitors arrived during the month, setting a record for November, the Japan National Tourism Organization reported Wednesday. Arrivals from South Korea, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Russia all rose 30% or more, thanks in part to low-cost air carriers adding new routes in Asia and increasing service. 

What's more, the November data points to a pickup in foreign visitors. Arrivals from January to November grew only 19% on the year, totaling 26.16 million.

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