Written by 
The number of foreigners entering Japan rose to a new record high of 36.78 million in 2024, receiving boosts from a weak yen and an increase in regular international flight services to the country, government estimates showed Friday.
The total exceeded the previous record of 31.19 million logged in 2019 by around 5.59 million people, according to the Immigration Services Agency’s statistics dating back to 1950.
Tourism and business trips accounted for the majority of visits at around 33.36 million.
Entries by those on student visas followed at around 170,000.
Some 150,000 people entered Japan on a technical intern training visa, down 19 percent from the previous year, while entrants with visas for specified skilled workers, launched in 2019 to compensate for labor shortages in Japan, increased 48 percent to around 60,000.
By country and region, people from South Korea made up the largest group at around 8.63 million, followed by entrants from Taiwan at around 5.69 million, some 5.49 million from China and about 2.67 million from the United States.
The number of Japanese nationals who went overseas in 2024 increased to 13.01 million, up 35 percent from the previous year, but the figure was far lower than the record 20.08 million logged in 2019.
Related coverage:
Foreign visitors to Japan, their spending, hit record high in 2024
Japan foreign visitors top 33 mil. in Jan.-Nov., break annual record
30% of tourists to Japan experienced overtourism problems in 2024