Poring over the ledger at her more than 230-year-old liquor shop in Kyoto, Yasuko Fujii has mixed feelings about the return of foreign tourists who would crowd the streets of Japan's ancient capital before the pandemic — and buy lots of whisky and wine.
Her ambivalence reflects a broader uncertainty in Japan about welcoming tourist hordes amid fears they could trigger a resurgence in COVID-19 cases, even though a weak yen would be a big draw for tourists and a boon for local businesses.
"From a business standpoint, we want foreign tourists to come," the 79-year-old Fujii said. "But from an emotional standpoint, we want customers from Japan."