People walk on a crowded street in Tokyo's Harajuku area on April 16, 2025. (Kyodo)

(KPL/KYODO)The number of foreign visitors to Japan in March rose 13.5 percent from a year earlier to a record 3.5 million for the month, official data showed Wednesday, underscoring the continued strength of the country's tourism boom.

Foreign traveler spending totaled 2.3 trillion yen ($16.0 billion) in the three months from January, up 28.4 percent from the same period last year, driven by higher expenditures on food and accommodation, preliminary figures from the Japan Tourism Agency showed.

Cumulative visitor numbers for 2025 reached 10.5 million in the quarter through March, up 23.1 percent, marking the fastest pace on record to surpass 10 million, according to the government-affiliated Japan National Tourism Organization.

The organization said travel demand to Japan grew in March with the start of the cherry blossom season. By country and region, the Republic of Korea led in visitor numbers with 691,700 people, up 4.3 percent, followed by China, which posted a 46.2 percent rise to 661,700.

Inbound tourists from six nations and regions hit record monthly highs, with arrivals from the United States standing at 342,800 and from Canada at 68,100. Visitor totals from 11 markets, including the Republic of Korea, Taiwan and Thailand, were the highest recorded for March.

The sharp depreciation of the yen against other major currencies, especially the U.S. dollar, has made Japan more attractive to foreigners, with the country welcoming a record 36.87 million people in 2024.

Visitor outlays from January through March showed that accommodation accounted for the biggest share at 33.4 percent, which analysts say has triggered a surge in hotel prices and a shortage of rooms in some popular tourist destinations.

Chinese visitors made up the largest portion of spending at 24.0 percent, with tourists from Taiwan next at 13.9 percent and those from South Korea at 12.4 percent. Many of them also made purchases related to shopping, food and beverages, the agency said.

Average expenditure per visitor was 222,000 yen in the first quarter of the year, with Australians, who primarily spent on accommodation along with meals and drinks, topping the list at 367,000 yen each, it added.

KPL