About 13 million people, mostly from East Asia, visited Japan last year, spending some US$ 16 billion. Despite political tensions, the number of Chinese visitors jumped 80 per cent, with electronics, food and cosmetics at the top of their shopping list.

Tokyo (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Japan has become one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, reaching a record 30 per cent jump in 2014 over the previous year.

The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) estimates that 13 million people visited the country last year, mostly from East Asia. Some 2 million Chinese visitors visited between January and October last year, an 80.3 per cent increase over the same period in 2013.

In view of the encouraging results, the Japanese government plans to take further steps to encourage foreign travellers to visit its shores.

In 2014, foreign tourists spent a record high of US$ 16 billion in Japan, with visitors from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea leading the way. Chinese tourists spent the most, about US$ 4.5 billion. Among Europeans, French visitors spent the most, paying out nearly US$ 1.900 each.

"There are several reasons for the growth, including changes in the exchange rate, which have made Japan a more affordable destination for many people," JNTO spokesperson Yumi Tanaka said.

In a policy document, the government’s tourism agency vowed to ease visa requirements for foreign travellers and improve facilities for visitors, including language services.

Although most foreign travellers especially enjoyed Japanese food, those from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan seemed more interested in shopping.

The JNTO white paper noted that tourists from mainland China were particularly fond of watches, electronic products, cosmetics and perfume, sweets, alcohol, tobacco, and pharmaceuticals.

Despite tense geopolitical relations between Japan and its neighbours, especially China and South Korea, tourism is not being affected.

On a seven-day trip from Shanghai with her husband and a group of friends, Zhang Yan said that Japan makes a great holiday destination. For her, "This is tourism and that is politics”.

"We have had no problems at all in the time we have been here,” she said, “and all the Japanese people we have met have been kind and generous.”

"I think that ordinary people - like them and us - think differently to the politicians," Zhang added. "And those disagreements won't stop us coming on holiday here."

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