According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, the number of foreign visitors to Japan in March was 3,618,900, 3.5 percent increase compared to the same month last year, marking a record high for March. The cherry blossom season in Japan resulted in increase of tourists from Taiwan, Malaysia, and the United States. On the other hand, the number of visitors from the Middle East was 16,700; 30.6 percent down from the same month last year, partly due to flight cancellations and reductions caused by the situation in the region.