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Severe snowfall sweeps across Japan’s central regions
Heavy snowfall hit central Japan as a cold front swept through, prompting weather warnings and disrupting daily life.
Tourism in Japan records to $39 Billion, setting annual record
Reuters
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.
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Washington, USA
Trump and Japanese prime minister hold joint news conference
President Donald Trump shakes hands with with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 7
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AI
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SoftBank Group, opens new tab CEO Masayoshi Son said on Monday he has agreed with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to set up a joint venture in Japan to offer artificial intelligence services to corporate customers.
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Japan
Massive fire erupts near a major tourist landmark in Osaka, Japan, as seen in live images
A large fire has broken out in a commercial building near Tsutenkaku Tower, a famous tourist landmark in Osaka, Japan. Emergency teams are on the scene, with dark smoke visible over the city.
