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The sharp decline in Korean travel in Japan is raising concerns in Japan.

In response to the Japan Tourism Agency's announcement that the number of Korean tourists who visited Japan last month was 7.6 percent less than a year ago, major Japanese media predicted that the recent deterioration of relations between Korea and Japan is likely to intensify.

In the Mainichi Shimbun, about a quarter of Koreans are Koreans, but the number of Koreans visiting Japan will decrease further in the past two months by introducing the case of an Okonomiyaki specialty store in Osaka, where 80% of Koreans have declined in recent months. Reported.

The conservative Yomiuri Shimbun reported that the number of fast-paced passengers connecting Busan and Kyushu decreased, and Korean Air decided to suspend or suspend the operation of six routes between Korea and Japan. Screams are beginning to come out. "

An executive of the Oita Ryokan Hotel Life Sanitation Cooperative Association, famous for its hot spring resorts, said, "There are some hotels that have reduced the number of Korean tourists booking from August to September by about five to six months.

"The majority of people who booked before July had worsened the relationship between Japan and Japan. It is expected that the decrease in the number of visitors from Korea will increase after August." Said.
The Japanese government seems to be aware of the seriousness of the situation.

Japanese Foreign Minister Kono Taro said, "We do not think that exchanges need to be interrupted because we faced difficult problems between governments. It is at this time that we should actively engage in exchanges."

He said yesterday at a meeting with journalists after meeting with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa in Beijing, China, how he said that the deterioration of Korea-Japan relations will affect human exchanges and trigger boycotts.

The Kono Foreign Minister's remarks reflect the willingness to reduce the impact on the domestic tourism industry as a strategy that separates the government's administrative measures and private exchanges.
Local governments that have been hit by direct bombing are making their own plans.

According to NHK's report, at the New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido, Japan, Hokkaido Prefecture officials welcomed visitors at the airport with a banner saying `` Welcome to Hokkaido '' in Korean on the 19th. I gave it to you.

At Asahikawa Airport, an event was held to distribute gifts to travelers from Korea. On September 26, Kushiro, Hokkaido, welcomed Korean tourists who had traveled on the charter with a welcome banner written in Korean.

(Photo = Yonhap News, Getty Images Korea)