Hopes in Mie Prefecture for tourism growth after the Group of Seven Ise-Shima summit from May 26 to 27 remain high. But with tourists worried about heavy security and U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Hiroshima stealing the spotlight, residents aren't so sure what the situation will be during the summit itself.
With just weeks to go until the leaders of Japan, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Canada assemble with the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission in Mie, the first question on many residents' lips is how the tightened security will affect vehicle traffic and train schedules.
In March, the Mie Prefectural Police released bilingual brochures in English and Japanese on what the traffic restrictions would be throughout the prefecture. Between May 25 and 28, anyone driving on the expressways between Nagoya and Ise faces the prospect of being stopped and searched — or having to wait until a motorcade passes.