The Go To Travel campaign for reviving the pandemic-ravaged tourism industry has been thrown into disarray, with policymakers unable to set details on the contentious subsidy program just days before launch.
On Friday, tourism minister Kazuyoshi Akaba urged young people and older people in large group tours not to use the ¥1.35 trillion ($12.59 billion) subsidy campaign, saying they might spread the novel coronavirus or catch it. He said specific age groups and tour sizes were under consideration for the advisory as well.
But an official at the Japan Tourism Agency said later in the day it would ultimately leave such matters to the discretion of travel agencies as "it would be difficult to draw a line due to the diverse nature of travel."