In 2007, more than 8 million people visited Japan from overseas, double the number that visited 10 years ago.
The lower value of the yen last year (it has since gone up) benefited tourists from Europe and the Americas, but the most conspicuous increase was among tourists from China, reflecting an expansion in disposable income among richer Chinese.
This week, TV Tokyo's business documentary series "Gaia no Yuake (Dawn of Gaia)" (Tuesday, 10 p.m.) looks at this influx and how travel agents and tour companies are taking advantage of it.
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