The government and the ruling coalition started arrangements Tuesday to extend the period of the Go To Travel tourism campaign, which is set to finish at the end of January next year, according to government sources.
The decision is based on the assumption that there is further need to assist the tourism industry, which has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The length of the extension and other details will be fixed later.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Tuesday received a proposal to extend the campaign until the Golden Week holidays in early May next year from Tetsuo Saito, deputy leader of Komeito, the Liberal Democratic Party's coalition partner, and other people at a meeting at the Prime Minister's official residence.
"It's not that we'll stop the project when we run out of budget. I'd like to continue with it while looking at the whole situation," Suga said, showing his consideration for the industry over issues likes securing employment.
The LDP is also urging the government to extend the campaign, and in response to requests from the coalition and the industry, the government has started arrangements to continue it beyond January.
As for the length and the budget, the government and the coalition have come up with a plan to include related expenses in the third supplementary budget bill for fiscal 2020 and extend the period of the campaign to the end of March next year. There are also some who want to extend it until around the Golden Week holidays or even to the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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