The Japan National Tourism Organization announced that the number of foreign visitors to Japan for the month of July reached 3.437 million, the highest ever on record for that month.

Although summer is a period when demand for travel to Japan from Southeast Asia and other regions tend to subside, it coincides with school holidays in many areas.

By country and region, the United States and France recorded their highest ever figures, while Taiwan recorded its highest number of visitors to Japan in a single month.

Due to the spread of information about a possible massive earthquake in Japan, the number of visitors from Hong Kong and South Korea decreased compared to the same month last year.

Meanwhile, a survey of Japanese companies was released by Tokyo Shoko Research, finding that only about 21% of companies employ foreign workers full-time.

Among companies that already employ such workers, approximately 53% reported an increase in the percentage compared to three years ago.

Additionally, about 52% of companies responded that their business performance would be affected if the government restricted the acceptance of foreign workers.

Tokyo Shoko Research, which conducted the survey, said that in analyzing the data, it highlights that foreign labor is becoming a vital force amid labor shortages in Japan.