With signs of a slowdown in foreign tourists' spending at urban shopping centers in the country, officials and businesses in regional cities are aiming to draw greater interest in their untapped tourism resources as repeat visitors from abroad increase.

Consumption by foreign tourists in Japan is tapering against the backdrop of the strong yen, which makes goods more expensive for them, as well as the Chinese government's decision in April to charge higher taxes on purchases made abroad and brought home by travelers.

Hard hit are department stores in metropolitan areas, which have begun to bank on sales of luxury brand items to tourists, especially those from China, who were once known for their phenomenal buying sprees. Those waves of purchasing had lifted overall retail sales by foreign nationals at such stores nationwide.