TOKYO: Japan’s goal of attracting 40 million visitors this year may already be in danger, following China’s decision to ban tour groups going overseas to help contain the impact of the rapidly spreading novel coronavirus.
Chinese tourists made up almost a third of all arrivals to Japan in 2019, in a year that saw visitor growth impacted by a diplomatic spat with South Korea and a series of extreme weather events.
Once considered a tourism backwater with a reputation for expensive prices and a lack of foreign language skills, Japan’s inbound boom has been one of the few unambiguous economic success stories under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
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