Japan See First Decline In Tourists In Five Years

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

Japan is seeing a drop in foreign visitors for the first time in five years. Recent disasters a being blamed for the decline.

The Japan News (Yomiuri Shimbun) reported:

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Japan saw the first decline in the number of visitors from abroad in five years and eight months in September, due to major natural disasters early in the month, government estimates showed on Tuesday. 

The number of inbound visitors in the month is estimated at 2,159,600, down 5.3 percent year on year, the Japan National Tourism Organization said. 

Many people in East Asia are believed to have canceled their planned visits to the country in the aftermath of Typhoon Jebi, which caused a temporary shutdown of Kansai International Airport in Osaka Prefecture, as well as a powerful earthquake in Hokkaido.

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