Antimicrobial resistance and molecular characterization of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates in Fukuoka, Japan, from 1996 to 2016.

•Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance and molecular characterisation of resistant N. gonorrhoeae in Fukuoka, Japan.•Increase in gonococci with decreased susceptibility or resistance to cefixime and ceftriaxone observed in recent years.•Four major NG-MAST STs (ST2958, ST1407, ST6798 and ST4015) with a multidrug-resistant phenotype were identified.•Of 54 isolates belonging to four major STs, 42 (77.8%) had a penA mosaic allele and 12 (22.2%) a penA non-mosaic allele.