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Junji Kurokawa / AP
Shinto priests proceed to an altar for New Year's prayer at the Kamigamo shrine in Kyoto, Japan, Thousands temples and shrines populate the nation's former capital.
It's not a done deal, but next year Japan may give 10,000 foreigners free round-trip plane tickets to encourage tourism, reports Agence France-Presse.
The giveaway is set to start in April if it receives final government approval in March.
The Yomiuri Shimbun reports (according to a translation):
The objective is to have the 10,000 tourists discuss their experiences online, and allow word-of-mouth reports to propagate about safe and hassle-free travel in Japan. Visitors will also fill out a questionnaire about how they feel about visiting Japan after the earthquake and any proposals they might have to renew interest in tourism. The Ministry will request $150 million in funding for this program.
Tourism in July and August this year was down about 30 percent from the same period a year ago. One reason for the drop is that the yen is historically quite strong against the U.S. dollar, making it a more expensive destination for Americans to visit now than in the past.
The other issue is safety: The government says the mainland is safe except near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, where work is still underway toward a full shutdown. Last Friday, the U.S. government downgraded its travel warnings for Japan: Citizens only need to avoid areas within a dozen miles of the plant.
Since the free travel program has not been finally approved, there is no information about it on the Japan National Tourism Agency's website yet. It's expected that visitors to the site may one day soon be able to fill out an entry form for free flights, selecting which parts of the country they would like to see. You can sign up for the agency's free e-mail newsletter to be on the list for more information.
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Leave a Comment:
Japan is such a dirty place. Why anyone who isn't japanese would want to go there FOR FREE, much less pay for it, is beyond me. And yes, I've been there.
Well, I've lived there for six years and allow me to suggest that you are out of your mind.
I just told my Japanese boyfriend about this story, he goes, "It's so expensive to vacation there, why would you want to go?" Uh, well if the plane ride is free then what's the problem? He looks at me and goes, "OHHHHHH! duh, brilliant! Let's sign up!" Men, sometimes I wonder about them..... He's Japanese and has NEVER been because it's so expensive, I signed up for the newsletters at the link provided, I hope the Japanese government decides to approve the program.
Put me on the list of those who very much want to go.
I passionately want to go! I, too, have been there. I studied abroad there. I love Japan!
One if the best places i have ever been!