More than 33 million foreign travelers visited Japan during the first eleven months of this year, exceeding the previous annual high marked in 2019, prior to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Japan National Tourism Organization estimates nearly 3.19 million foreigners visited Japan in November. That brings the cumulative total to 33.38 million since January this year.

The figure has surpassed the previous annual record in 2019 by 1.5 million, marking a significant recovery in demand for travel to Japan, after a plummet due to the pandemic.

Comparing numbers of travelers during the same 11-month period in 2019, the United States rose 57.4 percent, South Korea increased 49 percent, and Taiwan grew 22.3 percent. But the number of visitors from China decreased 28.2 percent.

The Japanese government aims to nearly double this figure to 60 million foreign tourists in 2030.

On the other hand, Japan faces a challenge of tackling over-tourism, as the concentration of visitors at popular sightseeing spots is affecting the lives of local residents. Measures such as promoting new attractions and encouraging tourists to visit less-crowded areas are urgently needed.