Japan foreign tourists top 3m in March, fueling record spending boom

TOKYO -- The number of monthly visitors to Japan exceeded 3 million for the first time in March, while tourism spending broke a quarterly record as the weak yen drove spending on services and experiences, government data shows.

But while the rebound is bringing the government's goal of 15 trillion yen ($97 billion) in annual tourism spending by 2030 within reach, it is also driving up prices and creating problems for local residents in especially popular areas.