Chuzo Ota and wife, Michi, were honored yesterday as the Japanese visitors who put Hawaii into record tourism territory.

"We really enjoy traveling and we always say that Hawaii is our favorite overseas destination," said Chuzo Ota, 60.

Hawaiian music and hula dancers greeted the Otas, who also were welcomed by Big Island Mayor Steve Yamashiro and Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau President Paul Casey.

"We are very pleased to be able to welcome the Otas to Hawaii as the 2 millionth visitors from their country," said Casey. "It is fitting that they are repeat visitors because we are eager to do all we can to make our Japanese guests feel at home and want to come back every year."

Casey also voiced gratitude for the effort of airline and tour companies to bring visitors from Japan and other parts of Asia here.

The Otas arrived with a JTB-Look tour aboard Japan Airlines Flight 70, the nonstop Tokyo-Kona service begun in July. The new service has brought welcome economic activity to the Big Island.

Last year, the state came up just shy of the 2-million mark after welcoming 1.99 million visitors from Japan.

It's estimated 1996 will end with slightly more than 2.1 million Japanese arrivals, an increase of about 6 percent over last year.

The number of visitors from Asia and the Pacific who stayed on a Neighbor Island was up by 26.6 percent in the first 10 months of this year.

The totals for eastbound visitors staying on the Big Island skyrocketed 77 percent in October, due in large part to the new nonstops from Tokyo.

As Japanese visitors 2 million and 2-million-and-one to arrive in Hawaii this year, the Otas received a koa box as a memento and limousine service. They will stay at the Four Seasons Hualalai Resort on the Big Island and will visit Honolulu before returning to Japan.