AnewZ Morning Brief - 17 March, 2026
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Tourism in Japan has reached $39 Billion, officially setting an annual record. The tourism in Japan is expected to advance to the country's economy growth in the coming years.
Japan saw a record-breaking surge in visitor spending through September, marking a significant boost to its tourism economy, according to official data released by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) on Wednesday. International tourists spent a staggering 5.86 trillion yen ($39.27 billion) during their visits, surpassing the 5.3 trillion yen spent in all of 2023. This set a new record for tourism spending in any 12-month period.
Tourism spending is now poised to become Japan’s second-largest economic sector, trailing only behind the automotive and electronics industries. Between July and September, the average visitor spent 223,000 yen on their trip, a notable contribution to the nation's booming travel economy.
In September alone, Japan welcomed 2.87 million international visitors, a slight dip from August’s 2.93 million. However, monthly visitor numbers have been steadily rising since February, with July seeing a peak of 3.29 million tourists — the highest for the year so far.
As of September, Japan has welcomed approximately 26.88 million tourists in 2024, surpassing the average yearly total from 2023. The country is on track to exceed the pre-pandemic record of 31.9 million visitors set in 2019.
The other evening, I was fuelling my car at a petrol station in Kenya’s capital. It was one of those small moments most motorists barely notice. The attendant filled the tank, I glanced at the pump price, paid, and drove off.
President Trump called on countries to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while Starmer said the UK is working with allies to restore navigation and stabilise oil markets. It comes as a strike near Iraq’s western border killed several Hashed al-Shaabi fighters, raising regional tensions.
Top U.S. and Chinese economic officials launched a new round of talks in Paris on Sunday (15 March) to resolve issues in their trade truce. The discussions aim to smooth the way for U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of March.
The process of evacuating foreign diplomats and citizens from Iran to Azerbaijan through the Astara state border crossing continues on Sunday (15 March), ensuring smooth and efficient transit for those arriving.
Kazakh voters have overwhelmingly approved a new constitution that could allow President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to stay in power beyond 2029. Exit polls showed that around 87% of voters have backed the new constitution.
The escalating conflict between the U.S., Israel and Iran is already hitting the Middle East travel and tourism sector hard, with the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) estimating losses of at least $600 million per day in international visitor spending.
A towering lava fountain from Kilauea shot about 400 metres into the air late on Tuesday (11 March) on Hawaii Island, prompting temporary closures at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and part of a key highway as volcanic ash and debris fell over nearby areas.
Emirates and Etihad Airways were resuming limited flight schedules to key global cities from their United Arab Emirates hubs on Friday (6 March), though the ongoing threat of missile fire piled pressure on airlines.
Air fares between Asia and Europe have surged after major Gulf hubs, including Dubai, partially reopened following closures linked to the conflict between Israel, the U.S. and Iran. Airlines are still rerouting flights around restricted airspace, cutting economy seat supply and pushing up prices.
Global air travel remained in turmoil on Monday after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and retaliatory strikes in the Gulf region prompted widespread airspace closures across the Middle East, disrupting one of the world’s most important aviation corridors.
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