Calls are mounting within the Japanese government to resume a domestic tourism campaign, as coronavirus infections across the country remain relatively low.
Officials wish to restart the "Go To Travel" subsidy program by around February, after a careful examination of factors such as the state of infections and progress in vaccine rollouts.
The national initiative partially covers holidaymakers' travel costs. It began in July last year, but was entirely suspended in December after infections resurged.
At a news conference earlier this week, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio said the government would seriously review the campaign's structure, solicit views from experts, and decide on the timing of a resumption after a thorough study of the infection situation.
Possible changes to the program include boosting financial support for weekday trips, as demand tended to concentrate on weekends and holidays when the drive was in place.
Further discussions within the government are expected as some tourism ministry officials and others want the campaign to restart sooner. They're calling for its resumption by the end of the year, to quickly support businesses hit by the pandemic.
