Local News

The Kyushu District Transport Bureau reports that the number of travelers between South Korea and the Kyushu region in the first half of the current fiscal year totaled about 48,000, down 35.9% from the year-before period. This is the largest percentage-point decline ever. Though the number of Japanese traveling to South Korea rose by 7.2% during the period, the total of South Koreans plunged by 50.9%. The decline was attributed to the high yen, the low won, and fears of the new flu virus.