Society

Tokyo Disney to keep admission limit post-COVID

Jun 28 (Nikkei) - The operator of the Tokyo Disney Resort (TDR) will continue to restrict entry to its parks, even though COVID numbers have come under control in Japan, to reduce wait times and improve customer experience.

Oriental Land said it will aim to add value to its services, in hopes for an increase in average spending per visitor. The company needs to boost revenue that has plunged with the drop in visitors to its theme parks in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, over the last two years.

In its medium-term management plan announced in April, Oriental Land set a target of 26 million visitors for the year ending March 2025, a decrease of 20% from the year ended in March 2019, before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. But revenue per visitor is projected at 14,500 yen ($106.54) and operating profit at more than 100 billion yen, just short of the pre-pandemic level.

Oriental Land closed TDR for about four months in the spring and early summer of 2020 amid the deepening COVID crisis, reopening only in July with a daily visitor limit of 5,000. It has since eased restrictions in stages in line with requests from the central and prefectural governments.

The company, whose key theme parks are Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, says it is welcoming under 50% of the number of visitors pre-COVID, and it hopes to lift the limit to around 80%.

Zao’s Snow Monsters Face Extinction

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Japan Ranks 92nd in English Proficiency, Lowest in History

EF Education First, a global education organization, published this year’s English Proficiency Index on Wednesday, ranking nations worldwide. Japan’s ranking stood at 92nd among 116 countries and regions, continuing a 14-year trend of record lows.

Famed Hot Spring Struggles to Handle Visitor Surge

Ginzan Hot Springs in Yamagata, known for its Taisho-era charm, is now at peak season for autumn foliage. While this secluded onsen town is a well-known destination in the Tohoku region, an influx of foreign tourists has led local officials to implement restrictions on day visitors starting next month.

Convenience Stores to Start Selling Over-the-Counter Drugs

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has announced plans to allow the sale of over-the-counter drugs at convenience stores without on-site pharmacists.

Japan Looks to Limit Continuous Work

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's advisory panel has outlined a proposal for amending the law to prohibit working more than 14 consecutive days. Under the current system, workers can technically work up to 48 days in a row through a system known as 'four-day-off-per-four-weeks,' while labor agreements also allow for holiday work, meaning there are no effective restrictions on consecutive workdays.

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