2.08 million in a single month! April sees record-high number of visitors to Japan; Taiwan ranks second with 380,000

▲ Cherry blossom viewing in Japan. (Photo / Provided by the Interchange Association, Japan)

By Chen Rui-zhong / Staff reporter

Despite a slight rise in the yen exchange rate, people’s willingness to visit Japan remains undiminished. Data released by Japan today shows that the number of inbound travelers to Japan in April this year reached 2.082 million, setting a new all-time high—an increase of 18% compared to the same period last year. Among them, travelers from Taiwan accounted for 384,000, also showing a growth rate of 14.6%, second only to China’s 514,000.

According to data provided by the Japan National Tourism Organization, the number of South Korean visitors was affected due to the Kumamoto earthquake. However, as it was still cherry blossom season, the figure still exceeded that of the same month last year (1.76 million). In addition, policies such as continued promotion of Japan tourism, increased airline flights, and calls for more cruise ship ports have also contributed to the rise in visitor numbers. Taiwan’s statistics for Japanese travel this year also surpassed one million, reaching 1.382 million, a 24% increase compared to the 1.1 million recorded during the same period last year.