TOKYO – Japan witnessed a significant surge in tourist arrivals from the Philippines in February, with numbers almost double compared to the same period in the pre-pandemic year of 2019.
According to data released by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), an estimated 65,200 Filipino visitors set foot in the country last month, marking an 85.4 percent increase from figures registered five years ago.
The Land of the Rising Sun recorded a total of 2,788,000 foreign tourist arrivals last month, with the Philippines occupying the eighth position among countries with the highest number of visitors. South Korea led the pack with 818,500 tourists, followed by Taiwan with 502,200, China with 459,400, Hong Kong with 205,900, the U.S.A with 148,700, Thailand with 101,400, and Australia with 66,500. - Florenda Corpuz
(People are seen walking in Ginza, Tokyo on March 22, 2024. Photo by Din Eugenio)