Society

Japan tourism industry hit by campaign suspension

Dec 16 (NHK) - Japan's latest efforts to block the spread of the coronavirus are not going down well with the tourism industry.

With cases on the rise, the government opted to temporarily halt a travel subsidy program nationwide for a period of two weeks around the New Year holiday.

The announcement caught many would-be tourists off guard. An online booking company says it's been caught in a deluge of inquiries -- with most deciding to cancel their trips outright.

The program helps offset the cost of domestic travel -- in the hopes of kick-starting a pandemic-struck economy.

Many areas that welcomed the return of visitors now find themselves in a tough spot.

Nomura Research Institute estimates suspending the "Go To Travel" campaign will push down consumption by about 860 million dollars.

Health experts who supported the move say it could help ensure the virus doesn't spread further in rural areas. But they still advise people to take precautions.

Professor Wada Koji at International University of Health and Welfare said, "It's important to take stricter precautions, such as trying, as much as possible, not to eat with people outside of your family."

More than 2,400 new cases have so far been confirmed across Japan on Tuesday, including 460 in Tokyo. That brings the total number of nationwide infections above 185,000. More than 2,700 people have died.

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