In an effort to revive its tourism sector following last year’s 3/11 disaster, the Japanese government is preparing to woo more Korean visitors, an official said on Tuesday.

“Korean visitors are crucial to our tourism industry,” Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner Hiroshi Mizohata said at a news conference in Seoul.

More than 2.4 million Koreans visited Japan in 2010, which accounted for 28.3 percent of the country’s foreign visitors. But the number dropped to nearly half that after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and recorded a 32.2 percent drop overall for 2011, according to the Japan Tourism Agency.

It has now been 10 months since the northeast coastal region of Japan, including Fukushima, was hit by the devastating earthquake and tsunami.

There are a few areas where a full recovery will take several more months, but other areas such as Tokyo and Kyoto have all recovered to their states before the earthquake, the Japanese official said.

“I understand visitors may still be worried, especially about the radiation, but data proves that Japan is safe and will continue to be safe,” he added.

Mizohata repeatedly thanked Koreans for their help in responding to Japan’s tragedy.

Mizohata, who was appointed commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency in 2010, said he has a strong relationship with Korea.

“I first visited Korea 30 years ago, and this is my 79th visit,” he said.

His experience includes many years of service for Oita Prefecture, and before becoming the head of the tourism body, he was the director of Oita Trinita Football Club.

During his reign at the J-League club, he signed many Korean players and managers, including former Oita manager Hwangbo Kwan, who is now the head of the Korea Football Association’s technical committee. Mizohata was also instrumental in bringing the 2002 FIFA World Cup to Japan and Korea.

“This year marks the 10-year anniversary of the Korea-Japan World Cup. And I hope to see more Koreans visiting Japan, which will be vital for revitalizing our tourism market,” he said.

By Oh Kyu-wook (596story@heraldcorp.com)