But confusion surrounds the subsidy campaign following the government’s decision to exclude Tokyo from the program.

Many Tokyo residents and others who planned to visit the Japanese capital scrambled to cancel their trips. That led to cancellation charges, which the government eventually offered to cover. In the briefing session, the government-commissioned campaign secretariat gave details about the program and measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

A capacity crowd of 130 people from travel agencies and accommodation businesses attended the event. Participants expressed concern over ambiguities involving the program. Some noted the difficulty in checking whether travelers in group tours are Tokyoites. Others felt the government was trying to implement the campaign in haste without sufficient preparations.