TOKYO, Jan 15 Reuters Japan saw 3.49 million visitors in December, an alltime high for any month, official data showed on Wednesday, capping off a record year for tourism fuelled by the weak yen.

December arrivals of foreign visitors for business and leisure rose from 3.19 million in November, breaking the previous monthly record of 3.31 million set in October, data from the Japan National Tourism Organization JNTO showed.

A total of 36.87 million visitors arrived in 2024, exceeding the previous 12month high of 31.9 million set in 2019 before the COVID19 pandemic shut global borders.

The December figures were boosted by school vacation and holidayrelated demand from many markets, the JNTO said.

The tourism boom has been a welcome boost to Japan39;s economy. Spending by visitors, classified as an export in national accounts, is now Japan39;s secondbiggest export sector after autos and ahead of electronic components.

Inbound travellers spent a record 8.1 trillion yen 51.57 billion in 2024, according to preliminary figures on Wednesday, up 53 from the prior year.

The fact that not just the number of visitors is increasing, but also the amount of money they spend is a positive thing, said Teppei Kawanishi, general manager at travel industry consultancy Honichi Lab.

The market may expand further this year due to travel related to Expo 2025 in the western metropolis of Osaka and as demand from China recovers, he added.

Wanping Aw, managing director of boutique travel…