日本が１１年ぶり１位　２３年の観光客数２３１万人超―韓国

　【ソウル時事】韓国観光公社は３１日、２０２３年に韓国を訪れた日本人観光客数が２３１万６０００人と、中国や米国を抑えて最多だったと明らかにした。日本が１位に返り咲くのは１２年以来、１１年ぶり。日韓関係の改善や若年層を中心にしたＫポップ人気の高まりが追い風になった。
　日韓双方で新型コロナウイルス対策の入国規制が撤廃され、地方空港を含めて両国間の航空便が大幅に増えたことも観光客数の拡大に寄与。日本政府観光局の推計値によると、２３年に日本を訪れた韓国人旅行者数は６９５万人超と国・地域別でトップとなっており、日韓両国で相互の観光客数が１位になった。（2024/01/31-18:17）

Japan became the top source of visitors to South Korea for the first time in 11 years in 2023, exceeding China and the United States, the Korea Tourism Organization has said.
   Japan retook the No. 1 spot thanks to improving bilateral relations and the popularity of K-pop artists among young people. The number of visitors from the country totaled 2,316,000 last year, according to the organization.
   The result also stemmed from a surge in the number of passenger flights between Japan and South Korea, including those involving regional airports, after COVID-19 border control measures were removed in both countries.
   According to an estimate by the Japan National Tourism Organization, South Korea was the biggest source of visitors to Japan in 2023, with over 6.95 million nationals entering the country.
   The Korea Tourism Organization said that some 11 million foreigners visited South Korea in 2023, including 2.02 million from China and 1.09 million from the United States.