According to the number of Japanese outbound travelers during the month of January this year (estimate) increased by 8.9 percent to 1,277,000 when compared to the same month a year earlier, posting a positive growth for six consecutive months since the month of August, 2009. While its loads fall short of 1,354,000 outbound travelers who departed during the month January, 2008, January this year saw an additional increase of approximately 105,000 when compared to the month of January, 2009. The strong Japanese currency encouraged travel to overseas destinations, said JNTO, analyzing the increase.

The number of visitor arrivals as well rose 10.3 percent to 640,500, registering a positive growth for three consecutive months since last November and further registering a two-digit increase for two consecutive months following last December. JNTO reported that the month of January under report enjoyed the increase following the month of January, 2008 when 711,350 visited Japan. Among Japan’s 12 major inbound markets, Korea, Thailand, USA, Germany and France show an increase over the previous year. Korea, in particular, recorded a robust increase of as high as 78.8 percent to 232,000 travelers to Japan.


(Note: This article translated from Japanese into English)