Photo/Illutration Tourism minister Kazuyoshi Akaba explains anti-virus measures that accommodation facilities should take in the “Go To Travel” subsidy program. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Seventy-four percent of voters oppose the government’s plan to start the “Go To Travel” subsidy program on July 22 amid the struggle to control the novel coronavirus, an Asahi Shimbun survey showed.

Only 19 percent support the tourism-promotion program, which would subsidize up to half of domestic trips, according to the nationwide telephone survey conducted on July 18 and 19.

Among all respondents, 24 percent of males and 14 percent of females are in favor of the start of the program while 70 percent of males and 77 percent of females are against the idea.

Overall, 74 percent of respondents gave a “low evaluation” for the Abe administration’s handling of the tourism program, including its decisions on when to start it and which areas would be covered.

The nationwide program was initially scheduled to begin in August, but the government moved up the starting date to help the tourism industry recover from the financial battering it has taken in the pandemic.

However, after the number of new COVID-19 cases soared in Tokyo, the government excluded trips to and from the capital from the subsidy program.

Twenty-one percent of respondents in Tokyo support the campaign while 72 percent oppose it, the survey showed.

Respondents were also asked to evaluate the government’s overall response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The ratio of those who gave a “high evaluation” was 32 percent, down from 38 percent in the June survey.

Fifty-seven percent gave a “low evaluation.”

Twenty-four percent think that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has “shown leadership” in the effort to prevent the virus from spreading while 66 percent feel that he “has not shown leadership,” according to the survey.

Even among supporters of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, 47 percent believe Abe has failed to show leadership, outpacing the 44 percent who think that he has displayed it.

The pandemic has already forced the postponement until next summer of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, but it is still unclear if the event can be held.

Respondents were split fairly equally on three choices about whether Tokyo should hold the Games next year.

Thirty-three percent picked, “It should be hosted in summer 2021,” 32 percent chose “another postponement,” and 29 percent felt it should be “canceled.”

The approval rating for the Abe Cabinet was 33 percent, up slightly from 31 percent in June. The disapproval rating was 50 percent, down slightly from 52 percent.

Respondents in the survey were contacted through home phone or mobile numbers selected at random by a computer, and 2,097 gave valid responses.

Of the 1,937 households with eligible voters contacted via landlines, 1,032, or 53 percent, gave valid responses.

Among mobile phone users, 1,065, or 47 percent, of the 2,287 eligible voters contacted gave valid responses.

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