Japan enlists royal visit, subsidies to revive tourism in quake-hit Kyushu
Por Julian Ryall — South China Morning Post – News feed
Advertisement Japan This Week in Asia Economics Japan enlists royal visit, subsidies to revive tourism in quake-hit Kyushu
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako to visit Kumamoto as the government rolls out travel subsidies to win back visitors following July’s quake
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Julian Ryall Published: 9:30am, 29 Sep 2026 Updated: 9:58am, 29 Sep 2026 Travel companies in southern Japan are pinning their hopes on a business revival following a planned visit by Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako to the areas hardest hit by a major earthquake this summer.
The imperial couple, who were scheduled to meet communities in Kumamoto prefecture on Tuesday, postponed the trip due to poor weather. On Wednesday, they will speak with families currently living in temporary accommodation after losing their homes and businesses.
The prefecture was at the epicentre of the magnitude 7.1 quake that struck Kyushu island on July 28 .
Local tour operators say that the number of international and domestic visitors to Kyushu fell precipitously following the disaster. While there are signs that domestic tourism is picking up, operators are calling for a campaign to reassure tourists that the region is safe to visit again.
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