The average number of people who will use Kansai International Airport during the Lunar New Year holiday season is expected to be about 54,900 a day, more than 53,520, the record high reported last summer, its operator said Monday.
Retailers in the Kansai region are taking moves to step up services to support shopping by foreign tourists during the holidays between Friday and Feb. 14.
South Koreans, Chinese and Taiwanese are expected to account for 64.6 percent of the people arriving at or leaving Japan from the airport, including Japanese travelers, according to the estimate by New Kansai International Airport Co.
Rinku Premium Outlets, a shopping center located in Izumisano, Osaka Prefecture, on the coastal area across the offshore airport, will offer a service of sending products overseas directly from shops using Express Mail Service during the season, so tourists don't have to carry them around. It will also have English — and Chinese-speaking staff at the facility.
Small pocket packs of tissue paper bearing illustrations of traditional Japanese characters such as sumo wrestlers and ninja explaining manners in Japan will be distributed to foreign tourists in the airport and five other major airports in Japan.