Japan hotel rates hit high on US, Europe tourists as China visitors fall

Westerners spend more, stay longer during peak cherry blossom season

Tourists take a group selfie in front of Tokyo's Sensoji temple. (Photo by Yutaka Miyaguchi)

TOKYO -- Rates for Japanese hotel rooms set a new record this April as demand from inbound tourists stayed strong, led by visitors from the U.S. and Europe, while visitors from China declined as that country continued to discourage travel to Japan due to political frictions.