Foreign Visitor Spending in Japan Hits Record 7 Trillion Yen in First Nine Months

TOKYO — Spending by foreign visitors to Japan from January to September this year has reached a record 7 trillion yen, according to Kyodo News.

The figure marks the highest ever recorded for the first nine months of a year, reflecting a strong recovery in international tourism to Japan after the downturn caused by the pandemic.

The higher spending is attributed to both an increase in the number of visitors and a rise in average spending per visitor, as a weaker yen relative to many major currencies has given international travelers a cost advantage.

The figures were released as the Japanese government aims to make tourism one of the pillars of economic growth and to expand destinations beyond the major cities in order to spread tourism benefits to local regions.