The Tokyo metropolitan government announced Wednesday that the central government compiled details on how to compensate people aged 65 or older and those with underlying diseases, who have been asked to refrain from traveling to and from Tokyo under the Go To Travel tourism promotion campaign.
According to the metropolitan government, the central government will waive cancellation fees for trips departing up until Dec. 17, if canceled between 6 p.m. on Dec. 1 and Dec. 13.
In addition, travel agencies and other businesses that receive cancellations will be paid 35% of the travel costs -- the same amount subsidized through the campaign. But the government will not ask travelers to provide proof of age or illness to confirm they are among the group being asked to refrain from traveling.
As for the group being targeted, some metropolitan government officials gave appraisal, with one of them saying, "It's a rational measure aimed at curbing an increase in the number of critically ill," while others questioned the effectiveness of the measure as "only half of a solution."
According to sources, the metropolitan government initially considered asking the central government to suspend or restrain the campaign without targeting a specific group. However, many officials agreed with a senior metropolitan government official saying, "It's difficult to say that travel itself is causing the high risk of infection, except for dinner parties at destinations. We need to consider the impact on the economy." After consideration, they decided to send the request, saying, "Targeting a specific group will send the message that the metropolitan government's big goal is to prevent patients from becoming seriously ill."
"The economic scale of Tokyo is extremely large. It is not only a problem in Tokyo, it also has a huge ripple effect nationwide, so we emphasized this point," Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike told reporters on Wednesday.
"The central and metropolitan governments will cooperate to curb an increase in the number of critically ill as soon as possible," Koike said at the coronavirus task force meeting held Wednesday at the Tokyo metropolitan government building in Shinjuku Ward.
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