Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Saturday that his government plans to draw up measures as early as this autumn to combat overtourism, in which surges of visitors negatively impact the daily lives of local residents.
At a time when the number of foreign visitors to Japan is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing concerns about issues caused by the concentration of tourists is an "important task for the government," Kishida told reporters in Naha.
Concerns about overcrowding on public transportation, as well as garbage and noise problems, are growing as the number of foreign visitors increases.
On Aug. 10, China lifted its ban on group tours to Japan, a measure that Beijing implemented during the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Kishida unveiled a commemorative coin project ahead of the 100th anniversary in 2031 of the establishment of the county's system to designate and manage national parks.
"We'd like to issue the first batch of commemorative coins, featuring Okinawa's three national parks, next summer," he said.
Earlier in the day, the prime minister visited Shuri Castle in Naha, which is being rebuilt after it was destroyed by a fire in 2019. He also held talks with people from the local tourism industry.
"I have hopes" for an early reconstruction, Kishida said after receiving explanations from Cabinet Office officials and people involved in the reconstruction work.
The prime minister inspected an area for visitors to observe the reconstruction process, which is open to the public from Saturday afternoon, and other areas.
The reconstruction of the Seiden main hall is expected to be completed in autumn 2026.
Meanwhile, the central and Okinawa governments plan to utilize the reconstruction process as a tourism resource.