Jul 19 (NHK) - The number of foreign tourists who visited Japan in the first half of this year hit a record high for the period.
The Japan National Tourism Organization estimates that more than 15.89 million people visited Japan from January through June of this year.
That's up more than 2.14 million, or about 15.6 percent, from the figure a year earlier.
China accounted for the most visitors at 4 million 56 thousand, up 23.6 percent.
South Koreans came in second at 4 million 16 thousand, up 18.3 percent.
Taiwan came in third at 2.5 million, and Hong Kong was fourth at 1.1 million.
Japan Tourism Agency chief Akihiko Tamura said the organization will pay close attention to the effect on the number of travelers of the natural disasters that recently hit Japan.
