Numerous tourist hot spots in Japan saw an influx of visitors Saturday, the first weekend after the government scrapped coronavirus border controls and launched a domestic travel subsidy program in a bid to spur the tourism industry.
The changes implemented Tuesday are part of government efforts to "live with the coronavirus" by reviving the economy while curbing the spread of COVID-19.
In a shopping area lined with classical buildings near Ise Jingu in Mie Prefecture, a Swiss tourist expressed his excitement about visiting the country for the first time in three years.