Japan’s economy gets boost from 25 million visitors in 2023

Japan welcomed 25 million tourists in 2023, the largest number since 2019, as a weak yen helped attract post-pandemic visitors in a boost to the nation’s fragile economy.

The number of inbound tourists last year increased dramatically from 3.8 million in 2022, Japan’s National Tourism Organization reported Wednesday. December also marked the seventh consecutive month in which the number of foreign visitors exceeded 2 million, for the highest figure in that month on record.

The return of large numbers of visitors to Japan is a positive development for an economy that shrank at the sharpest pace since the height of the pandemic in the summer. Weakness in the currency has helped boost tourists’ spending power, making Japan a much more affordable destination. The yen averaged around ¥140.5 against the dollar last year.