Visitors to Japan Up 24.0 Pct in Jan.

Tokyo, Feb. 15 (Jiji Press)--The estimated number of visitors to Japan in January surged 24.0 pct from a year earlier to 2,295,700, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday. The monthly total was the second highest on record, after 2,296,451 in July last year. Visitors from countries including China increased as this year's Lunar New Year holidays began in late January, the JNTO said. Last year, the holiday period started in February. Also behind the overall growth were rises in the numbers of flights to Japan and cruise ships visiting the country, it said. By country or region, the number of visitors from mainland China was the largest, at 630,600, up 32.7 pct, followed by South Korea at 625,400, up 21.5 pct, Taiwan at 350,800, up 9.3 pct, Hong Kong at 185,500, up 48.4 pct, and the United States at 88,200, up 16.2 pct. The numbers of visitors from Malaysia and Indonesia were up by 73.9 pct and 63.8 pct, respectively. END