New travel subsidy program may be postponed after COVID cases surge

As long as they don't send it to the guy in Abu, I say "distribute the funds!"

calling on the public to take a booster vaccine 

The whole world knows already that a booster vaccine do not prevent the spread of the virus and therefore even with a booster the cases are going to increase.

Which you can see already all over the world, especially in countries which implemented the 4th booster already.

I think that the government will tighten again the borders for foreigners who are coming from overseas.

I guess that will be the next step.

The new subsidy campaign would be a nationwide version of subsidy programs currently implemented at the prefectural level to encourage local travel among residents.

All time part time workers having to hustle to pick up extra shifts to pay residence taxes will be happy to know they are paying for some retirees trip to taste the local delicacy of pickled clams.

Subsidies benefit a few penalise all. It’s not fair at all.

sources at the Prime Minister's Office expressed skepticism about starting it as planned. "It's impossible under the current circumstances," one of the sources said.

There is some sense in policy making in Japan

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14501324

I think that the government will tighten again the borders for foreigners who are coming from overseas.

Just blame foreigners for Covid surge in Japan.

The only reason hospitalizations are down is because of the mildness of the new strains thus far! Definitely has nothing to do with the Alpha variant vaccines which are next to useless against omicron. Natural immunity from the omicron variant would offer much better protection if needed. They just need to stop reporting this bunk.

but they prevent serious cases, hospitalisation and death. I think the whole world knows that, too.

But nobody is talking about that.

Fearmongering people and fearmongering media are only sheering panic day in day out by reporting the increasing cases.

But in this article, it says;

and the number of hospitalized patients has more than doubled in half a month,

3x and 4x vaccinated and number of hospitalized patients doubled!

It seems that your boosters can not even prevent that. In case those people hospitaized are vaccinated, which of course we will never hear from the media.

If only our immunity would protect us from sensational announcements

The whole subsidy program reeks of inefficiency and trying to benefit big companies instead of the tourist industry in general, that should be enough reason to stop trying to revive it. The increase of cases is just another minor motive that makes it evidence how badly thought this thing is.

Fearmongering people and fearmongering media are only sheering panic day in day out by reporting the increasing cases.

There is nothing to fear in knowledge, clinging to ignorance as the ony way to feel safe is deeply irrational, people can make better decisions by knowing how the pandemic is behaving currently, without any need to feel fear.

3x and 4x vaccinated and number of hospitalized patients doubled!

Doubled from what? last year? that is completely false, how about comparing rates of hospitalizations according to the number of infections? if the vaccines make it so 20 times more infections only cause 2 times more hospitalizations that is a huge benefit.

Pretending a vaccine could only be 100% or else useless is not valid either, according to this way of thinking nothing in medicine works.

Why not invest money into the remote economy instead? We have just suffered KDDI fiasco or Mizuho Bank repeated shutdown. Many public Wi-Fi stations are starting to be removed, which I think is a bad move. KDDI users couldn't seek free WiFi during the crisis.

“But given the risk that a premature start to the campaign could direct criticism toward the Kishida government, sources at the Prime Minister's Office expressed skepticism about starting it as planned. "It's impossible under the current circumstances," one of the sources said.”

We can’t have ‘criticism’ directed against the government so let’s politicise the virus!

Now we know…

Offering a travel subsidy with hyperinflation running rampant does nothing to alleviate economic ills. If anything, it postpones the inevitable misery. Possibly, an economic stimulus to those greatly affected might be a better political solution.

A greater problem is the valuation of the yen after decades of a fiscal policy that suggests printing money will keep society afloat as the panacea.

However, if you subscribe to a main tenant of capitalism, in the form of competition, some businesses and financial institutions must fail. Unless, you’re in the pocket of politicians that provide government bailouts when loans default. This vicious economic crisis will continue until new businesses are created to boost employment opportunities.

Doubled from what? last year?

that is completely false

This is what the article says:

number of hospitalized patients has more than doubled in *half a month.

First , I would recommend you to read the article.

Second, are you saying the article is false?

Maybe yes, because it doesn't match what you are telling here since many months.

The only reason hospitalizations are down is because of the mildness of the new strains thus far!

Article says "The pace of increase in new cases is accelerating, and the number of hospitalized patients has more than doubled in half a month,"

This go to “waste tax payers money” bs is truly infuriating. Normal working folk don’t have the time for trips so it’s just treating the bubble generation who are sleeping on mattresses full of cash anyhow.

Wouldn’t it be more effective, sustainable to create a society where people have enough money to pay for their holidays themselves? And be able to take their legal holidays when they want? Or is that too much to ask for?

Given that prices of goods are rising they should just redirect the budget for the travel subsidy program to direct cash handouts again

Under the new campaign, up to 11,000 yen would be provided to each traveler per day in the form of discounts and coupons to go toward paying for travel and other expenses, such as dining and shopping.

so if I go free camping with my partner for a month, we and get ¥22000 a day for 30 days and eat out in restaurants every meal?

no doubt! the reason for the surge is the N Korea tours that Japan has been conducting!

RIght?? RIGHT???

 I say "distribute the funds!"

Let's be fair about it too in the process. This money, our tax yen, is going to people who have the money to travel, but fails to provide any assistance to those who dont.

Sadly, there are plenty who could use a vacation, but can't because they cant afford to take off time from work, as they aren't full time employees, they are contracted, or PT, or worse, and if they take off, they dont get paid, or maybe lose their jobs.

This "Go to travel" and "Go to eat" is for people who have the time and money to do it!

Give the coupons or subsidies to those who NEED it!

so if I go free camping with my partner for a month, we and get ¥22000 a day for 30 days and eat out in restaurants every meal?

I think it's implemented as discounts so depends on how much you spend on participating institutions

This "Go to travel" and "Go to eat" is for people who have the time and money to do it!

Give the coupons or subsidies to those who NEED it!

Ofcourse the program is supposedly for those who do need it. It's supposed to help those who have businesses in the ailing domestic travel industry by enlisting the help of those who have money by giving them incentives to travel and spend.

Ofcourse the program is supposedly for those who do need it. It's supposed to help those who have businesses in the ailing domestic travel industry by enlisting the help of those who have money by giving them incentives to travel and spend.

It's an incentive for people with money to trickle down some to those who dont, but only those in the industry.

Dont think for one second that the part-timer who works at the local souvenir shop is going to see one yen of that "subsidy"!

Subsidy or not, I have no time for this type of ‘financial bait’ as I don’t support nor vote for the LDP.

The government here is involved in the act of ‘over-reach’ - government means control and in Japan that control is too much…

If cases are going up again, people should not be rewarded for travelling and increasing the potential spread of the disease.

No-one has mentioned it, but this makes it more likely the border will remain closed to independent international tourists. It has been suggested that the government wanted to get next week's election out of the way first, but I doubt we'll see any announcements soon if they are postponing GoTo.

It's an incentive for people with money to trickle down some to those who dont, but only those in the industry.

Seems that's what I said

Dont think for one second that the part-timer who works at the local souvenir shop is going to see one yen of that "subsidy"!

It will allow the local souvenir shop to hire the part timer

Giving money to those who cannot earn profits, and bleeding out those who are genki enough to work and earn. That's the Japanese omotenashi.

Tokyo confirmed 5,302 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, more than double the level the week before and exceeding the 5,000 mark for the first time since April 28.

It was obvious that the cases would increase at this stage.

But I still want my 11,000 yen a day.

@ian

You do realise that the per hour rate for a 40 hour week isn’t enough to live on?

Its not worth working for that!

You do realise that the per hour rate for a 40 hour week isn’t enough to live on?

Its not worth working for that!

Beats not having a job doesn't it?

I told ya.

Cancel any tickets you may have bought

Quick! Blame all the foreigners on those group tours!

The new subsidy campaign would be a nationwide version of subsidy programs currently implemented at the prefectural level to encourage local travel among residents.

this garbage again?

look, the problem isn’t getting money to travel, although that is one of the factors.

the problem is, for most people, low pay and no vacation time.

And I’m not talking about the Obon/golden week crap. I’m talking about letting people take a vacation when they want.

Spread out vacations in the company have Taro go in April, Tanaka go in May, Matsumoto go in June, etc……it’s not that hard.

oh wait, it is that hard to do here…..

forget it, simplify it all.

How about cut all the bonuses and petty cash for any and all politicians to start? they clearly aren’t doing their jobs.

Give that money to the people instead. Never mind this “subsidiary programs.”

It will come soon, they will close the borders. It is those foreigners walking around without masks, that make them change their minds. So if you care about it, wear a mask.

"Japan is someplace I would really like to vist." SAID NO ONE.

It’s a bad program anyway …. Kill it ….

Guess who's going to take the fall for the increase in numbers? I'll give you a clue: it's not the locals cramming into overcrowded trains as they head into offices that run on hankos and fax machines.

Is this even news anymore?

Close the border? Didn't know it was "open."

I used Go To and Go Eat, brilliant. But the coupons are useless unless you are an elderly person who wants to buy expensive goods from govt connected companies.

What kind of stupid program would have you take money out of your pocket or bank account, and then put it back into your pocket or bank account, and make you think you should go to spend that money that you would otherwise not have spent?

This subsidy scheme is another instance of democratically elected government stepping way over its useful purpose.

The people need to put an end to this insanity.

Nothing to see. Just more Looters havin a moment.

Here's what these wise oldguys oughta not, not do. Don't Pass any more dumbss ideas, Dont direct debit any more public taxes for private pals and wives, just go. Go directly To Jail.

If the vaccines worked, then why are all the cases and deaths in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Korea all after the populations were mostly vaccinated? Before the vaccines, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Korea all had extremely low cases. Seems like the vaccines are not doing anything.

If vaccines worked, it would have been over by now. Not only do they not work, they are killing people. Talking only for the fake covid vaccines that ruin your immune system.

People should understand this virus is here to stay and just stop testing for it and let it be. Learn to live with the virus and just carry on with your lives as normal. Statistics clearly show this virus to be just marginally more serious than influenza. And you're not testing for it every time you sneeze, or are you?

O-o-or-r people can just freak out and ruin their lives with masks, disinfectants, social distancing and god knows how much more limitations.

Statistics clearly show this virus to be just marginally more serious than influenza

Why don't you post the statistics then

If vaccines worked, it would have been over by now

Seems nothing works for you since all sorts of sickness and diseases are still not over by now, we still take treatments and vaccines for them after decades and decades of use

Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t this support limited only to those who have been vaxxed. If so, then that’s blatant discrimination. Those who elected to exercise their basic human right in refusing to go down the innoculation route should not be excluded from taking advantage of these obviously well timed pre election bribes. Fairness demands that equal opportunity access to bribes should prevail.

. Fairness demands that equal opportunity access to bribes should prevail.

You didn't receive your vax ticket?

Most of the population were vaccinated. This simply means vaccines do not work.

Cancel program. Danger corona and hot weather.

Stay at house put on mask!

You didn't receive your vax ticket?

In #metoo solidarity with the billions around the world denied even one shot, I elected to forego my ‘privilege’. You didn’t?