Japan just celebrated its second best ever month for tourism with a 24% surge in arrivals in January.
The Japan National Tourism Organization said it received 2,295,700, just a few hundred shy of its best ever month last July.
The JNTO cited a big increase from China and Taiwan as travellers flocked to celebrate the week-long Lunar New Year holiday.
Increased air connectivity and more cruise ship calls were also a factor, it said.
"We will continue efforts to enhance accommodation and sightseeing resources in local areas so that we can maintain the pace of increase and shore up economies in those areas," said Akihiko Tamura, commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency.
China is the core market, representing 32% of total arrivals but interest from Southeast Asia is also on the rise.
There was a sharp increase from Malaysia and Indonesia at 70% and 60% year-on-year respectively.
