The number of South Korean tourists visiting Japan is on a decline this year, in contrast to a record number of other foreign nationals visiting the country.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization on Wednesday, two-point-88 million foreign nationals visited Japan in June, up six-point-five percent compared to a year earlier.

The number of foreign tourists who visited Japan during the first half of the year totaled a record 16-point-63 million, following a four-point-six-percent on-year increase.

The number of South Korean tourists, however, rose zero-point-nine percent last month to total 612,000.

Overall, the number of South Korean tourists to Japan in the year's first half totaled three-point-86 million, down three-point-eight percent.

Industry observers cited an earthquake in Japan's Kansai region last month and rising diplomatic tensions as reasons behind the latest figures.