The government aims to establish 500 areas for homestays at farms and fishing communities nationwide as it attempts to get 40 million visitors a year visiting Japan by 2020, according to a draft of the action plan.
The four-year tourism promotion plan through 2020 will be approved by the Cabinet by the end of March. The draft, obtained Thursday, says its aim is to promote tourism with an emphasis on rural areas. It also aims to draw more people to national parks.
The homestay programs will allow visitors to experience agriculture, craft-making and other aspects of the local culture in each area. The government thinks the plan could help increase farmers' income, sources familiar with the matter said.
The draft also calls for designating 200 areas to attract tourists by making use of various cultural assets, particularly in the Tohoku region, which is still recovering from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
The previous tourism target of 20 million was reached last year.