The number of Vietnamese visitors to Japan reached an estimated 536,800 in the first 11 months of the year, surpassing the pre-pandemic level of 495,051 in 2019 and marking an all-time high, according to data released on Wednesday by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).

Statistics regarding visitor arrivals to Japan in December will be released by the JNTO in January next year, which will likely cause the number of Vietnamese visitors to Japan in 2023 to rise further.

The high number Vietnamese visitors to Japan was a positive signal for travel and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, according to the JNTO.

From January to November of this year, Vietnam welcomed close to 530,000 arrivals from Japan, putting it among the top five source markets of the Vietnamese tourism industry, according to data from the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT).

The JNTO cited Ha Van Sieu, deputy chief of VNAT, as saying that the two countries’ tourist arrivals are expected to bounce back in the near future and exceed the pre-pandemic figure of 1.5 million arrivals thanks to increasingly relaxed travel policies, Vietnam’s recent move to extend the visa-free stay for Japanese tourists to 45 days, and the Japanese government adding the Southeast Asian country to a list of destinations highly recommended for travel agencies.

Ambassador of Japan to Vietnam Yamada Takio expressed his delight in knowing that the number of Vietnamese visitors to Japan set a record high during the first 11 months of the year, adding that the news is particularly symbolic given that 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties.

Over the past years, the two countries have jointly organized multiple exchanges, including those between high-ranking Vietnamese and Japanese officials. The Vietnam-Japan relationship was believed to be at its best stage in all fields.

Last month, Vietnam and Japan issued a joint statement on the elevation of the Japan-Vietnam relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world.

This event is expected to pave the way for further deepening bilateral relations.

Yoshida Kenji, chief representative of the JNTO Vietnam, said the agency managed to hit its target of welcoming 500,000 Vietnamese visitors to Japan one month earlier than expected.

The JNTO Vietnam will continue its efforts to encourage more Vietnamese to visit Japan, as well as join hands with other units in the industry to launch three new tourism promotion campaigns in Vietnam in 2024, the Japanese tourism official added.

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