TOKYO - The number of foreign visitors to Japan between January and September rose to around 31.65 million, marking the first time on record that the number surpassed 30 million in the first nine months of the year, official data showed.

The nine-month figure rose 17.7 percent from the same period in 2024, while the annual number is certain to surpass the record 36.87 million logged in 2024, data from the Japan National Tourism Organization showed.

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Foreign visitors spent an estimated 6.9 trillion yen (about $45.5 billion) on accommodation, shopping and other consumption in the first nine months of the year, the highest figure ever for the period, data showed.

Meanwhile, the number of foreign visitors in September rose 13.7 percent from a year ago to over 3.26 million, marking the first time the figure has topped 3 million for the month, according to the organization.