Hey, travelers and trendsetters! 🌏 Japan’s tourism boom might be hitting a serious bump after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent remarks on Taiwan.
According to Hideo Kumano, chief economist at the Tokyo-based Dai-ichi Life Research Institute, if tensions between Japan and the Chinese mainland drag on for more than a year, Japan could lose over 2 trillion yen (around $13 billion) in Chinese tourist spending. 😱 Airlines are already reporting at least 491,000 cancelled tickets since travel alerts went out, and local economies from Tokyo to Okinawa are feeling the squeeze.
📉 Big Losses, Local Impact
Chinese tourists fuel everything from boutique cafés in Kyoto to high-tech malls in Akihabara and beach resorts in Okinawa. A plunge in numbers means fewer sushi orders, empty ryokans, and job cuts in hospitality. 🍣🏯
💸 Stimulus vs. Inflation
Japan’s government just approved a 21.3 trillion yen stimulus package to tackle inflation and U.S. tariffs. But Kumano warns that pumping cash into an already inflationary economy could weaken the yen further and hike prices. With tax revenue falling short, more government bonds are on the way—driving up long-term interest rates and potentially cooling growth. 📈💴
🔍 What’s Next?
Can Japan find a diplomatic way to bring back these big-spending travelers? Or will the stimulus plan need a rethink? From Delhi to Jakarta, young pros are watching closely—because the outcome could reshape Asia’s travel and trade scene. ✈️🤝
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
