Tourist sector takes hit from nuclear problems

Foreign visitors thin on ground during key season

TOKYO - As Japan enters its annual cherry blossom festival season, tourists are heading elsewhere, scared off by fears of radiation from a nuclear crisis that erupted hard on the heels of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Tokyo, with its sleek shops and high-end restaurants, has long been a favorite destination for wealthy tourists, particularly those from Japan's faster-growing neighbors such as China.