Seoul: The number of air passengers traveling between South Korea and Japan surpassed 20 million in the January-October period, primarily fueled by the depreciation of the Japanese yen, recent data revealed. According to Yonhap News Agency, a total of 20.56 million passengers journeyed between the two nations during the first ten months of the year, marking a 33 percent increase from 15.47 million recorded in the same period last year. This impressive figure is nearing the all-time high of 21.35 million passengers documented for the entire year of 2018, when travel between South Korea and Japan saw an unprecedented spike. With the current monthly average of approximately 2 million passengers on the Seoul-Tokyo route, projections indicate that this year's total could surpass the previous record. To accommodate the growing travel demand, local airlines have increased the number of flights to Japan, especially in anticipation of the busy winter season. A significant factor contributing to this surge in travel is the weaker yen, which has made Japan a more attractive destination for Korean travelers since last year. The yen's value fell to 894.89 won last Friday, after having temporarily increased to 950 won in August. In contrast, the passenger count on Korea-China routes reached 11.56 million from January to October, significantly higher than the 6.84 million for the entire year of 2023. Industry experts anticipate a rise in travel demand on Seoul-Beijing routes, boosted by China's recent introduction of a visa waiver program for South Korean passport holders, effective from November 8 through the end of the following year.