INTERVIEW: Japan Tourism Minister Flags Overtourism Concerns

Tokyo, Oct. 24 (Jiji Press)–New Japanese tourism minister Yasushi Kaneko has voiced concerns about overtourism, or the negative impact of large numbers of tourists. The concentration of foreign visitors in certain regions is “very serious,” Kaneko, who was named by new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday, said in an interview with media organizations Thursday. Measures to address the issue will be included in the country’s upcoming tourism promotion plan, he said. Kaneko explained that the ministry “supports local initiatives to balance the acceptance of tourists with efforts to ensure residents’ quality of life,” including the introduction of express buses connecting tourist spots, congestion maps and signs promoting good manners. The ministry is currently discussing revisions to the basic plan for promoting Japan as a tourism-oriented country, with the aim of spreading the benefits of tourism to all regions, he noted. Kaneko voiced caution over a proposal by Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), the new coalition partner of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, to fully lift the ban on ride-hailing services in Japan. “Paid passenger services must ensure safety through proper management and vehicle maintenance,” he stressed, citing the need to determine who would be responsible in the event of an accident. On the development of infrastructure in rural areas, he said, “I want to be fully engaged in programs to make the nation’s land more resilient so that people can continue living there no matter what happens.” “There can be no prosperity for a country without the prosperity of its rural areas,” he added. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]