TOKYO, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- The number of foreign visitors to Japan in November plummeted by 97.7 percent from a year ago due to the global COVID-19 outbreak, the government said in a report on Wednesday.

According to estimates by the Japan National Tourism Organization, 56,700 foreign travelers arrived in Japan in November. Among them, China accounted for the most with 18,100, followed by Vietnam with 14,700, Indonesia with 3,400 and South Korea with 2,800.

Although the latest figure marked the 14th consecutive monthly decline since last October, it was the first time the number has exceeded the 50,000 level in eight months as the government started to ease entry restrictions.

Meanwhile, the number of Japanese nationals leaving the country in November plummeted 98.1 percent from a year earlier to 30,700.

Japan welcomed a record high of 31.88 million foreign visitors last year. The government had set a goal of 40 million inbound tourists for 2020, but has seen record falls in numbers.

From January to November this year, the country received over 4.05 million travelers, around 10 percent of the government's goal.