Tourism to Japan reaches 86% of what it was before pandemic

Sept. 20 (UPI) -- The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached near pre-pandemic levels in August, its highest level since the nation eased COVID-19 travel restrictions last fall.

The Japan National Tourism Organization said 2,156,900 travelers came to the island nation last month, 85.6% of the same period before the pandemic in 2019, marking the first time tourism totals have topped 80%.

Japan reached the new total despite protests by some in China which canceled tours to Japan because of Beijing's disapproval of the discharge of treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea, which started in August.

The number of Chinese visitors to Japan remained low at just 36% of what it was in August 2019.

South Korea led the tourism march back to Japan with 569,100 visitors in August, followed by Taiwan with 396,300. Mainland Chinese made up the third most visitors at 364,100, while Hong Kong made up 206,300 of the visitors.

Tourism consultant Tsuyoshi Kondo said the number of Chinese visitors should return to pre-pandemic levels during the Lunar New Year holidays in 2024.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida relaxed Japan's COVID-19 border controls in October and opened up the tourism industry. Before that, Japan had some of the strictest pandemic policies as they tried to keep the virus under control.