Higher Tourism Subsidies Eyed for Quake-Battered Areas; Japan Prime Minister Suggests Covering 70% of Travel Costs

The Yomiuri Shimbun

20:38 JST, January 25, 2024

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday evening he will consider expanding measures to boost tourism following the Noto Peninsula Earthquake.

“I want to consider implementing more generous stimulus measures at an appropriate time, when the Noto area is able to accommodate tourists,” Kishida told reporters. He said possible steps included subsidizing 70% of travel costs.

As part of efforts to support areas hit by the Noto quake, the government decided Thursday to subsidize 50% of travel expenses — up to ¥20,000 per night — for visits to the four prefectures of Ishikawa, Toyama, Fukui and Niigata in March and April.

“There have been about 170,000 cancellations of reservations in January in these prefectures, including areas that can conduct business as usual,” Kishida said.

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