Chinese visitors to Japan plunge 88% in February on virus outbreak

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo: Fewer people than usual are seen at Kansai Airport on Feb.19 due to the coronavirus outbreak

TOKYO, March 19 (The Japan News/ANN) -- The number of foreign visitors to Japan plunged 58.3% year-on-year in February to 1,085,100, falling for the fifth consecutive month, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Thursday. It was the largest drop in eight years and 10 months, since the 62.5% drop in April 2011 following the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Due to the spread of the new coronavirus, the number of Chinese tourists fell by 87.9% to 87,200, while South Korean visitor numbers dropped 79.9% to 143,900.