May - Visitors to Japan Plunge 50%

The number of foreign visitors to Japan in May plunged 50.4 percent from a year earlier to 358,000, the second-sharpest year-on-year fall following April's 62.5 percent drop, in the wake of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in March, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Thursday.

The rate of decline, however, has been narrowing since reaching 73 percent in the March 12-31 period following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, with foreign governments lifting advisories on travel to Japan, according to the organization.

The rate of decline in foreign visitors also slowed as travel agencies organized cheaper group tours to Japan and foreigners including those who were studying and undergoing vocational training in Japan returned to the country.

Of foreign visitors in May, the number of South Koreans plummeted 58.3 percent to 84,100 and that of Taiwanese tumbled 40.4 percent to 68,000 while that of Chinese decreased 47.8 percent to 58,700.
Comparable data has been available since January 1961.

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