March was a record month for Japan’s tourism industry, with the country welcoming 3.08 million visitors.

According to Kyodo News, this is 69.5 percent more tourists than the country received in March of last year. The statistic also represents the first time Japan has had more than 3 million visitors in a single month.

Kyodo News said that overseas visitors to Japan are also spending more money. The sum increased to a record $11.3 billion in the first quarter of 2024, the most ever for a three-month period.

“We can expect record highs for both arrivals and spending in 2024 if the current pace continues,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated at a recent meeting of nation leaders.

All of this positive news comes at a time when government leaders are attempting to portray Japan as a more tourism-focused country.

The previous yearly record for arrivals to Japan was set in 2019, before the COVID-19 epidemic, when the country reported 31.88 million tourists. The previous monthly record, however, was established in July 2019, when 2,991,189 people visited.

In terms of visitor spending, 2023 was a strong year for Japan’s tourism business, with visitors spending almost 5.3 trillion yen (around $34 million).

South Korea had the most number of tourists to Japan in March 2024, with 663,100. This value is 13.2% greater than pre-pandemic levels.

Taiwan is the second largest source market for travelers to Japan, with over 484,400 tourists arriving from the country. The Japan National Tourism Organization anticipates a 20.4 percent growth.

The record-breaking March visitation data coincide with this year’s Easter holiday, when many people travel. According to freshly disclosed data, the number of travelers from the United States and the Philippines (both with big Christian populations) grew by 64.3 percent and 63.2 percent, respectively, in March compared to 2019.