The agency also registered a historical maximum in tourist spending, estimated at around 49 billion dollars, which several economists attribute to the weakness of the yen (national currency).

South Korea contributed the largest flow of visitors to Japan, followed by China, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Spain.

The annual number of tourists increased 15 percent compared to a record set in 2019, before the border closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic that nearly paralyzed the so-called smokeless industry worldwide.

Japan’s government aims to attract 60 million visitors a year and increase annual spending to about 93 billion dollars by 2030.

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