Japanese tourism and retail hit by decreased number of S. Korean tourists... boycott movement intensifies in Korea

아사히 "韓 관광객 급감...日 관광•소매업 타격"..우리나라 日 불매운동 확산South Koreans have been boycotting Japan because of the trade conflict.That includes not only Japanese products but travel to the country, and the boycott is apparently taking a told on Japan's tourism and retail industries.Lee Min-sun reports. About a month since South Koreans began their mass boycott of Japanese products, the Japanese economy is suffering from a drop in the number of tourists.Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun reported that a large drop in spending by South Korean visitors is damaging Japan's tourism and retail industries.The newspaper found that since the boycott movement started, some 1,100 Koreans canceled their reservations at Japan's traditional hotels in Oita Prefecture ...a popular tourist destination with hot springs.The report also said the number of South Korean visitors to Japan has decreased by 10 percent in July compared to the same period last year... citing data from Japan's largest travel agency JTB Corp.Reservations for the jet ferry that runs between Busan and Osaka have fallen to one-third of the usual amount and many Korean low cost carriers have decided to cancel their scheduled flights to Japan.Japanese retailers are also suffering from the boycott.One of the largest shopping outlets in Fukuoka saw sales decrease by 25 percent during the week up to July 23 compared to the year before.Other major Japanese firms like Asahi and Kirin Breweries have pulled their TV advertisements from South Korea and Japanese clothing brand Uniqlo also saw falling sales in July.However, the boycott movement is spreading to wider areas in South Korea.In addition to customers not buying Japanese products, many retail shops and traditional markets have declared that they will not sell Japanese products. South Korea's logistics association also announced that they will not deliver specific Japanese brands.With the trade conflict between two countries still lingering, the boycott and its impact on both countries' economies could grow even larger.Lee Min-sun Arirang News.