TOKYO, July 16 (NNN-NHK) – The number of foreign visitors to Japan in June plummeted by 99.9 percent from a year ago, for the third consecutive month due to the global pandemic, the government said in a report.
According to estimates by the Japan Tourism Agency, only 2,600 foreign travellers came to Japan in June. Among them, the number of visitors from China fell to around 300 from 880,651 a year earlier.
Meanwhile, visitors from South Korea, the United States and Vietnam dropped to about 100, and there were just a few dozen visitors from other countries, the latest data showed.
From Jan to June, the accumulated number of foreign visitors stood at about 3.95 million, dropping by 76.3 percent from a year earlier.
Currently, Japan imposed travel ban on 129 countries and regions, in an effort to curb the spread of the pandemic, with foreign tourists who have been to these areas within 14 days of their arrival being denied entry.
Japan welcomed a record high of 31.88 million foreign visitors last year. The government set a goal of 40 million inbound tourists for 2020, but has seen record falls in numbers.
However, the government has already started talks with Vietnam, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand, on the possibility of easing travel restrictions. According to government sources, the country is also hoping to enter similar talks with a number of countries and regions, including China, South Korea and ASEAN nations.– NNN-NHK
