A strong rebound is expected this year in the number of Japanese tourists to post-9/11 New York -- and Boston -- thanks to three Japanese rookies in U.S. Major League Baseball, a New York official at Japan's biggest travel agency said.
Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima signed last year to play for the Boston Red Sox. Kei Igawa joined the New York Yankees, while veteran Yankees outfielder Hideki "Godzilla" Matsui has recovered from an injury sustained last year.
These players have now joined spring training.
Combined, "I expect an increase of 15,000 to 20,000 this year in the number of Japanese tourists to the two U.S. cities," said Seisuke Orikasa, New York office general manager of JTB International Inc.