The number of foreign passenger arrivals in Japan reached 7.54 million between January and May, government data showed Wednesday, as the country draws more tourists from abroad.
If the current pace is maintained for the rest of the year, the annual figure would stand at around 18 million, the Japan National Tourism Organization said. The government is aiming to achieve an annual goal of 20 million by 2020, when Tokyo will host the Olympics and Paralympics.
In May, the number of arrivals surged 49.6 percent from a year earlier to 1.64 million, the second-highest level on a monthly basis following 1.76 million marked in April, the organization said.
Chinese traveler arrivals more than doubled to 387,200, the largest share of the total, followed by a record 339,700 from Taiwan and 315,400 from South Korea.
Japan has attracted more foreign tourists, helped by a weak yen as well as government measures such as easing visa rules and expanding the scope of shopping free of the 8 percent consumption tax.
But challenges remain as most of the visitors are arriving in Tokyo and other large cities, and the government is struggling to attract more tourists to rural areas, where local economies are showing limited signs of recovery despite various stimulus programs.
To boost tourism in those areas, the government has employed measures such as increasing the number of tax-free shops and financially supporting municipalities that host government-certified travel routes of scenic and historical interest.