Visitors to Japan top 8 million for 1st time in 2006

The number of visitors to Japan in 2006 reached 8.11 million in preliminary data, up 8.8% from the previous year and topping 8 million for the first time, the Justice Ministry said Friday.

The ministry attributed the figure, which marked a record for two years in a row, to increases in the number of tourists mainly from other parts of Asia following the Japanese government's efforts to attract foreign tourists plus a series of visa waivers. Of foreign visitors, the largest number came from South Korea at 2.37 million, followed by Taiwan at 1.35 million and China at 980,000.