Japanese ‘mindset’ is to stay home as Covid wave, surging flight costs deter overseas travel

Name: Japan to downgrade Covid-19 threat status to that of seasonal flu
Uploaded: 2023-04-25T01:30:07.000Z
Duration: 1 min 6 s
Description: Japan to downgrade Covid-19 threat status to that of seasonal flu

Japanese health officials have warned of a ninth coronavirus wave possibly hitting this summer, which may cause more infections than previous waves

Flights to and from Japan also cost more than before the pandemic due to fewer international routes and surging fuel costs amid the Russia-Ukraine war

Reading Time:3 minutes

Why you can trust SCMP

Tourists gather at a popular scenic spot where Mount Fuji and cherry blossoms can be seen together. Fewer Japanese are opting to take holidays abroad than before the pandemic. Photo: Kyodo

Julian Ryall

Published: 9:30am, 25 Apr 2023Updated: 5:25pm, 25 Apr 2023

The last time Mitsue Nagasaku was able to holiday overseas was the summer of 2019, the year before the pandemic halted global travel. Nearly four years later, Japan’s borders have reopened – but once again, she will be staying close to home.

“My last foreign holiday was to see friends in Arizona and I would love to go back again, but it won’t be this year,” said 44-year old Nagasaku, who lives in Yokohama.

The reticence to travel is also shared by many of her friends. “For us the biggest worries are the cost and a slight concern that another wave of the virus could emerge somewhere in the world,” she said.

01:06

Japan to downgrade Covid-19 threat status to that of seasonal flu

Japanese health officials warned last week of a potential ninth coronavirus wave hitting this summer, claiming it might cause more infections than the eighth wave and be deadly for seniors or those with respiratory illnesses.

Japanese media have also recently reported about the emergence of the XBB.1.16 Omicron subvariant, which has been detected in 20 countries and is being blamed for a renewed surge in cases in India.

For many Japanese, the price of foreign travel is the biggest obstacle. Flights cost more than before the pandemic due to fewer international routes, as airlines try to resume regular operations and fuel costs surge on the back of the Ukraine conflict and sanctions imposed on Russian energy exports.

Equally, the yen has been weak against many currencies, notably the US dollar, making Japan a relatively cheap destination for foreign tourists. That comes with continued inflation at home that has seen prices for food, fuel and other staples climb while the looming threat of a broader recession refuses to go away.