Visitors to Japan Up 21.2 Pct in May

Tokyo, June 21 (Jiji Press)--The number of overseas visitors to Japan in May is estimated to have risen 21.2 pct from a year earlier to 2,294,700, marking a record high for the month, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday. The May growth was led by a surge of over 80 pct in the number of visitors from South Korea, following a year-before drop in the wake of a series of powerful earthquakes in and around Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan. The overall increase was also attributed to a rise in the number of international flights to and from Japan. The number of visitors from South Korea shot up 85.0 pct to 558,900, followed by 517,100 from mainland China, up 2.0 pct, 407,500 from Taiwan, up 8.5 pct, 181,600 from Hong Kong, up 29.7 pct, and 124,700 from the United States, up 11.4 pct. In January-May, Japan received an estimated total of 11,410,700 foreign visitors, up 17.3 pct year on year, exceeding the 10-million mark on a year-to-date basis at the fastest pace ever. END