TOKYO: Record numbers of tourists flocked to Japan last year, figures showed on Wednesday (Jan 15), as the weak yen bolstered the appeal of the "bucket list" destination despite overcrowding complaints in hotspots like Kyoto.

Japan saw 3.49 million visitors in December, an all-time high for any month, official data showed on Wednesday, capping off a record year for tourism fuelled by the weak yen.

A record number of visitors came to Japan in 2024, thanks to surging post-pandemic global tourism and a decline in the yen that’s making the island nation an attractive and affordable destination.

Japan saw a record 36.9 million foreign visitors in 2024, a 47 percent increase from the year prior. The previous record was 31.9 million in 2019.

TOKYO >> Japan saw 3.49 million visitors in December, an all-time high for any month, official data showed on Wednesday, capping off a record year for tourism fuelled by the weak yen.