Go To travel campaign thrown into disarray after minister's remarks

Sure, Go To COVID-19 land , NOT travel!

Anyone in the right state of mind does't need the government to tell him or her when or where to travel.

Akaba said the government had no plan to make up for fees incurred by such people. But Noritoshi Ishida, policy chief of the Komeito party, called on the government to "consider (compensating for) cancellation fees" following the exclusion of Tokyo from the campaign. The party is the junior ruling coalition partner of the Liberal Democratic Party.

Just like with the ju-man relief payments, Komeito is pressuring the LDP to do the right thing. I've never understood why they partner with the LDP in the first place, when their philosophy more closely resembles much of the opposition. I guess they figure they can do more good aligned with the party in power.

I actually wouldn't be surprised if Abe holds a several million yen meeting to discuss giving the people of Tokyo extra Abenomasks from the stockpile of returned ones to compensate them on cancellation fees.

I think these guys redefine "boondoggle". I'd be outraged if I were a Tokyoite promised these discounts and then told not only would I not be included in the campaign, but could not get a complete refund if I cancelled. Truly unbelievable.

I was going to bet that they would cancel this whole fiasco by Monday, but given they will have to pay people back in cancellation fees there is no way they are going to do it. They'll let the people cancel themselves and say they owe them nothing, which is even scummier.

I fear it will end up in a "GO TO... Hospital" campaign.

Instead of being thrown into disarray, it should be thrown into the trash can.

Possibly a good plan, undoubtedly bad timing.

How much longer will, they keep including this ridiculous line, qualifying the Diamon Princess debacle numbers? It was trotted out initially in February to 'show the world that rising covid 19 numbers in Japan were due to a foreign ship 

The WHO sets the standard on how to report cases. Australia and other countries do exactly the same thing. By way, here is some stats for you:

Ruby Princess docked in Australia, 21 deaths coivd 19 deaths 900 cases

Diamond Princess docked in Japan 14 deaths covid 19 deaths, 700 cases

290 people found to be infected today (a Saturday).....highest count so far and not a good time to be traveling.

Tokyo IS Japan.

Measures taken now discriminate people because of age, wealth and location of dwelling.

How to kill the national "ha" in an instant !

Note that excluding Tokyo living people or going there for accomodation makes a 50% increase in cost to pay (outside the coupons) ...quite opposite to a bargain !

i like the campaign BUT not in the current situation. If young and old people are advised to not to use the campaign then promised economic benefit won't be that great.

putting aside the fact that no-one really want to play game "who has it?" when it comes to family and friends.

good campaign, bad timing.

Tourism minister Kazuyoshi Akaba urged young people and seniors in large group tours not to use the campaign, citing the risk they may spread the coronavirus and, in the case of the elderly, develop severe symptoms.

Somebody has brains, and it ain't the government.

Saw the GoToTravel katakana headline in the media yesterday, but read it as GoToTrouble!

More appropriate!

Every big city in the world has dealt with this pandemic the same way. In the beginning commerce is more important than the virus. If there were leaders in the world with any vision this pandemic could have been under control in the first couple of months, but because of the greed and the God of money and competition, the people of the world will suffer and live in fear, while the governments blame each other for their own lack of vision. All you really need is common sense and a little time, the Government has lost both.

Welcome to Japan!

A second, or third, or fourth wave is always possible with this virus. Every plan needs a contingency, especially in a country hit with lots of natural disasters like Japan. From all the confusion, it looks like this Go To campaign has no contingency and they are making it up as they go along.

I think its too early for the Go To campaign, but if its a done deal, excluding Tokyo is not a bad move. The problem is that no-one is coming out from the government and explaining it. I guess it is because they don't want to own the decision.

DrLucifer i just hear bla bla from you. So you doesnt want to support the healthcare workers. Also DT have FoxNews, you should remember at least that.

Point out where I said I don't support health workers ? , health workers are not going without pay and neither is their pay the lowest, yes they are essential workers just like the deliveryman, supermarket staff and a myriad of other jobs, why aren't we crying for their pay to be raised afterall there is a corona cash cow begging to be drained dry.

This is what I'm hearing from my Japanese friends (more or less):

COVID-19 has been in Japan for 6 months now, it's still here. The fact is that it is here to stay; it will not be eradicated; the new normal is to live with more precaution than before, travel with more precaution than before. Many tourism related business on the brink of bankruptcy due to having recently renovated, upgraded facilities due to the boom in tourism in recent years and to prepare for the olympic influx which was much needed. With precaution such as hospital grade cleaning procedure and extra precaution they should go ahead with this travel campaign. If not now, when? There is no proof of a vaccine. The government is trying to support this industry which really needs it.

 use the money to pay healthcare workers!

The vast majority receive their salaries from their private-sector bosses, not from the govt, so fat chance of that happening.

No kidding. As a Canadian who has been in Japan every year since 2011, I can't fathom the lack of intelligence of the people the Japanese elect. Sorry. Bent at the waist, hands on thighs, waiting forgiveness.

Too bad Go to. Now we need Total Lockdown for 7 weeks. We can do this all 2020, just like John getting more Saturday schools in The Breakfast Club.

@HAMBURGER

Oh, it's 7 weeks now? What happens to the usual 6 weeks, you always say?

A government that makes problems and then struggles to deal with them?

pathetic...

Darn Right!

USA. 77,000 cases in one day.

Japan 594 cases in one day.

Pathetic and in the case of the West, deadly.

The inept plan doesn’t factor in all the commuters to and from Tokyo.

Cancel it now and save lives. If not, all the big city people will flood the countryside and infect innocents.

no need to listen those politicians . you are risking your life! not worth it!

What a confusingly written article. The first four paragraphs in particular. The article is as confusing as the scheme itself.

Local government leaders had voiced concern about the initiative, as they feared that the campaign could bring the virus to their regions from the metropolis.

This is why the scheme should just be cancelled. First rule of virus control - avoid unnecessary travel. Scheme pays people to do the total opposite. Wait until the virus is gone

I do find it amusing when on TV so many people pronounce Go To in the same way as Goto, the popular Japanese surname.

Gaijintraveller, it wasn't Akaba who came up with the plan but the old fossil Nikai, who runs the LPD, and is also chairman of the travel association. He was looking to line his buddies pockets, the people in JTB, and a few of the other companies you had to use to get the discount.

293 cases, few of which are considered serious, out of 13,000,000? They know where the clusters are..host clubs, cabaret clubs, drinking places and a few care centres, clinics and theatres. As the man in Chernobyl said...”Bad but not terrible!”

However, a state funded plan to subsidise travel around the country at this point could be described as “Well meaning but actually pretty terrible.”

The most sensible solution would be to cancel the plan Go To plan completely.

Then Abe should fire Tourism minister, Kazuyoshi Akaba, for being so stupid and coming up with such a stupid idea.

DrLucifer i just hear bla bla from you. So you doesnt want to support the healthcare workers. Also DT have FoxNews, you should remember at least that.

Abe's no-brain policy is eerily similar to trump's.

Abe has the luxury of controlling whatever narrative he or is bureaucrats and the media will spread it to the always-believing masses. DT hasn't such a luxury.

Scrap that plan and use the money to pay healthcare workers!

And how much money do you think would be enough for healthcare workers ?. While you are at it why not call for some of the money to oay the SDF who have been putting their lifes on the line helping flood victims and restoring lifelines in disaster areas. Health workers even have pay, there are millions who have gone for months without pay, I am one of them and I am not complaining and still spending more than most people receiving a monthly paycheck.

And in all this, Abe is nowhere to be seen. He's distancing himself from this half arsed, mixed message plan because this will go the same way as his masks; a dismal farcical failure. People who have no medical background are leading the charge on this despite a testimony at the diet hearings from a leading medical expert warning that the current situation is dire and that direct action is immediately necessary. Abe's no-brain policy is eerily similar to trump's.

As mentioned yesterday, this campaign is about to Go To H..e.. double hockey sticks.

A government that makes problems and then struggles to deal with them?

pathetic...

What a mess.

Just stop being hard headed and cancel it. Cancel the Olympics too while you’re at it

Scrap that plan and use the money to pay healthcare workers!

Disarray descibes Japanese leadership and management since quite some time. The cruise ship, the schools, the virus response, the health care worker treatment, the visa situation and so on. Does Mr. Abe still play with his dog?

Too bad Go to. Now we need Total Lockdown for 7 weeks. We can do this all 2020, just like John getting more Saturday schools in The Breakfast Club.

People can visit Tokyo but can't stay? Sounds a bit half baked of you ask me.

Just push back this plan, just like the Olympics. And close the bars!

Priority should be given to containment of COVID 19. You can't have an economy if the people are dead.