More Chinese tourists are visiting Japan despite the introduction of a new departure tax thanks to extra flights and online visa applications.
Visitor numbers rose 11.7 percent year on year to 4.5 million in the first half, according to statistics from Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
Japan introduced a new departure tax of JPY1,000 (USD9.20) at the beginning of the year, applicable to all travelers leaving the country, but this has done little to dent tourism numbers. Overseas tourists rose 4.6 percent to 16.6 million, and their spending hit new heights, climbing 8.3 percent to JPY2.4 trillion (USD22 billion).