The country's largest international gateway is hiring more foreign workers to better serve overseas visitors as they arrive in increasing numbers under the government's policy to promote inbound tourism.

The move by Narita International Airport Corp. comes as the country seeks to attract 40 million visitors by 2020, when Tokyo hosts the Olympics and Paralympics, and 60 million by 2030, to maintain economic growth amid a shrinking domestic market characterized by a graying population and a persistently low birthrate.

In late July, Roneta Ratumaitavuki, a 24-year-old Fijian, began working at Narita airport near Tokyo, as one of the first three foreign workers directly employed by the airport operator.