News On Japan

Tourism Crisis: Tens of Thousands of Hotel Reservations Canceled in Ishikawa

TOKYO, Jan 20 (News On Japan) - Ishikawa, Jan 20 (News On Japan) - The Noto Peninsula earthquake has resulted in approximately 26,000 cancellations at lodging facilities throughout Ishikawa Prefecture, according to a survey by the Prefectural Travel Industry Association.

Responses to the survey were primarily from facilities in the Kaga region of southern Ishikawa, which suffered relatively minor damage from the earthquake. The association believes that the impact on tourism and accommodations is even more severe.

The "Ishikawa Prefecture Travel Industry Association" has been investigating the effects of the earthquake on member lodging facilities within the prefecture, and so far, 23 facilities have responded. As of January 10, the survey revealed that there have been a total of 26,648 cancellations, amounting to over 529 million yen. However, most of the responses have come from areas such as Kanazawa City and Kaga City, where the damage from the earthquake was relatively minor.

In the Noto region, close to the epicenter, including cities like Wajima and Suzu, there has been little response as many lodging facilities themselves have suffered significant damage. The association is concerned that the blow to tourism is even more substantial. Facilities in the hardest-hit areas reported that "the impact on the facilities is devastating, and reopening is not foreseeable in the near future," and some are considering "giving up on resuming business and will proceed with closing the company once things settle down."

The earthquake that struck the Noto region, known for its hot springs and seafood, has clearly affected tourism across Ishikawa Prefecture. The challenge now is to prevent further decline in visitors while focusing on the recovery and reconstruction of the affected areas.

Source: NHK

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Reporters Without Borders has released its 2025 World Press Freedom Index, ranking Japan 66th out of 180 countries and regions surveyed, just behind Timor-Leste (65th) and Fiji (64th).

The Trump administration has imposed a 25% additional tariff on imported auto parts, including engines and transmissions, with the measure taking effect at 1:01 p.m. Japan time on May 3rd.

Plans are underway to install designated smoking areas inside the Expo site for the first time.

Okinawa Prefecture has issued a warning to watch out for habu snakes, which become more active as temperatures rise in May, particularly during farming and outdoor activities in mountainous areas.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after driving into seven elementary school children near an Osaka school as they were walking home.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Business NEWS

Japan and the United States held a second round of negotiations over tariffs, with discussions lasting 130 minutes. Economic Minister Akazawa described the talks as substantive, yet many officials believe the outcome hinges on the trajectory of U.S.-China relations.

A wave of fraudulent trades conducted through hijacked securities accounts has prompted Japan’s leading brokerages to move toward compensating affected customers, with some firms opting to offer full refunds.

Japan’s unemployment rate improved in fiscal 2024 for the first time in two years, falling by 0.1 percentage point from the previous year to 2.5 percent, according to government data released on May 2nd.

At the White House, President Donald Trump brought together corporate executives, including SoftBank Group Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son, to highlight major investment commitments made in the United States—presenting them as a direct result of his administration's efforts.

Two women, a 54-year-old mother and her 26-year-old daughter from Kasukabe City in Saitama Prefecture, have been referred to prosecutors by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police for allegedly selling nail parts resembling the logos of luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton without authorization.

The Bank of Japan decided at its monetary policy meeting on May 1st to keep its policy interest rate at the current level of around 0.5%, marking the second consecutive meeting since March in which rates were left unchanged.

Toyota has announced that it has reached a basic agreement with Waymo, the autonomous driving division under Google's parent company, to move toward a new partnership.

Matsuo, operator of the Matsuo Jingisukan chain, has embarked on a surprising new venture by opening its first specialty shoe store last week in Atsubetsu Ward, Sapporo, selling footwear instead of lamb.