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Abe sets sights higher for Japan's tourism arrivals and spending

Tokyo

PRIME Minister Shinzo Abe has again doubled the target for the number of inbound tourists that Japan should aim to attract, even as the number of visitors - from Asia, especially - continues to climb and tourism becomes the country's major industry and income-earner.

The original target had been to pull in 20 million overseas visitors a year by 2020, but the Land of Cherry Blossoms achieved that last year, well ahead of time. Mr Abe has thus set a higher target of nearer 40 million by 2020, the year Tokyo hosts the summer Olympic Games.

Following a meeting with other government ministers on Wednesday, he said: "Today, we have decided on a new vision for tourism. It is an important part of...

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