TOKYO >> Japan saw 3.49 million visitors in December, an all-time 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 12-month high of 31.9 million set in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic shut global borders.

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

The tourism boom has been a welcome boost to Japan’s economy. Spending by visitors, classified as an export in national accounts, is now Japan’s second-biggest 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 agency TokudAw, said winter guests are venturing to Japan’s lesser-known ski destinations compared to previous years, while the weak yen appears to be a draw for Australians.

“We are seeing a lot of guests from Australia,” Aw said. “They have told us that coming to Japan is like the new Bali to them.”