Photo/Illutration Economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

After more than two months, the central government will add Tokyo to its “Go To Travel” promotion campaign from Oct. 1 to help the nation's struggling tourism industry.

The government will officially announce the addition following a meeting of its council to deal with the novel coronavirus pandemic, to be held on Sept. 11. 

Tours that have already been booked will be subject to discounts under the campaign as long as they depart on or after Oct. 1.

Economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said on Sept. 10 he wanted the council "to discuss if it is appropriate to add Tokyo to the campaign.”

The Tokyo metropolitan government that day lifted its request for residents not to travel outside the capital due to the pandemic.

In response, the central government decided to put the issue on the council’s agenda.

The council has assessed that the pandemic’s second wave that hit Tokyo in June and then spread around the country peaked in late July and has since been on a slow decline.

The central government agreed with the assessment and was waiting for the Tokyo officials’ decision to lift the travel restrictions to add the capital to the promotional campaign.

Some argued it should do so before the four-day holiday weekend starting on Sept. 19. But the central government has decided to start it in October, considering the necessity for preparation time.

The campaign aims to boost the tourism industry, which has been hit hard since the pandemic broke out.

But the number of new COVID-19 cases in Tokyo has not died down. Its daily count on Sept. 10 was 276.

Adding the capital to the campaign may accelerate the movement of people in and out of Tokyo. Some worry that will cause a spike in new cases.

The “Go To Travel” campaign officially kicked off on July 22 excluding trips to and from Tokyo.

(This article was written by Ayako Nakada and Ryo Aibara.)

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