Society

Visitors to Japan plunge 99.9 percent for 3 months in row

Jul 16 (NHK) - The number of foreign visitors to Japan in June plunged 99.9 percent from a year earlier due to the coronavirus, extending a record decline for three months in a row.

The Japan National Tourism Organization estimates that only 2,600 foreign tourists visited last month. In the same month last year, 2.88 million foreign travelers visited the country.

The number of overseas visitors has fallen below 3,000 and dropped by 99.9 percent for each of the three months through June.

By country and region, 300 visitors came from China, 100 each from South Korea, Vietnam and the United States. The number from Singapore, Mexico and Italy fell below 10 for each country.

Most of the estimated travelers for June are believed to be foreign residents in Japan, such as students and technical trainees, who re-entered the country.

The government currently denies the entry of foreign nationals from 129 countries and regions due to the spread of the coronavirus. No prospect is in sight for the number to pick up anytime soon.

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Real-Life Water Police: Protecting Tokyo’s Seas and Rivers

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Tourist Graffiti Threatens Kyoto’s Iconic Bamboo Forest

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Japanese Streaming Services Struggle Against Netflix

Japan’s streaming industry is under growing pressure as foreign giants tighten their grip on the domestic market, with Netflix’s latest move to secure exclusive broadcast rights in Japan for every game of the World Baseball Classic next March highlighting the widening gap.

Japan Tightens Rules on Foreign Business Visas

Investigators from the Immigration Services Agency conducted on-site inspections in Osaka on October 14th amid a surge in so-called 'paper companies' created by foreign nationals seeking residency.

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