SHENYANG, June 29 (Xinhuanet) -- China has annually received an average of 2 million Japanese tourists since 2000, maintaining a two-digit growth rate, according to the National Tourism Administration.

    China absorbed nearly 3 million Japanese tourists in 2004, and replaced the United States as the second largest destination for the Japanese tourists only after the Republic of Korea, according to a probe into the Japanese tourist market by the Liaoning provincial tourism bureau.

    Most Japanese tourists show interest in the long history and civilization of China and their visits focus on the historical remains and cultural relics.

    A survey from the Japanese Tourism Association showed that 82.1percent of the Japanese tourists show their interest in visiting historic and cultural sites, while 64.2 percent of them are interested in visiting China's natural landscapes.

    The number of the Japanese tourists to China will continue to keep a two-digit growth in the coming five years, said Yu Mingyuan,an official in charge of the overseas market from the Liaoning provincial tourism bureau. Enditem