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On August 13, many hotel owners reported that Japan's super-earthquake warning had caused thousands of people to cancel hotel reservations in areas identified as high-risk. This move significantly impacted the revenue of companies during one of the busiest travel seasons.
While other regions continue to welcome large numbers of tourists, Kochi is facing a severe drop in visitors due to the earthquake warning. The 9,400 cancellations in Kochi since the Japan Meteorological Agency (JWA) issued the warning last week demonstrate the high level of concern among tourists regarding the earthquake alert.
The mega-earthquake warning has dealt a severe blow to the tourism industry, leaving many hotels facing the risk of significant losses.
According to Susumu Nishitani, a representative of the union, bookings from August 9-18 were canceled, resulting in losses of approximately 140 million yen (US$948,000). Normally, all hotels and guesthouses in Kochi City would be fully booked at this time.
NHK reported that thousands of customers are expected to cancel their visits to Dogo Onsen, one of the hot springs that inspired the famous Ghibli animation film "Spirited Away." Last week, the Japan Earthquake Association (JWA) issued its first warning about the risk of a mega-earthquake around the Nankai Trench running along the Pacific coast.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a warning about the possibility of a massive earthquake in the Nankai Trench, higher than the average for recent years. The epicenter of the earthquake is expected to be in the Nankai Trench area, which scientists consider one of the most seismically complex regions in the world.
Thousands of canceled bookings have caused significant economic damage to accommodation establishments in the affected area.
This warning serves as a wake-up call, reminding people of the potential dangers of natural disasters. If a disaster occurs, strong earthquakes could potentially shake a vast area from the Kanto region to Kyushu, causing secondary earthquakes and severe landslides. In particular, high-powered tsunamis could strike coastal areas of the Pacific Ocean, from the Kanto region to Okinawa, sweeping away homes and infrastructure and causing immense loss of life.
This year, the holiday is scheduled from August 13-16, but since August 10-11 falls on a weekend, some businesses or agencies are giving people time off from August 10 to allow them to return home to visit family or go on vacation.
Local media have just reported that authorities plan to lift the major earthquake warning this week if no unusual seismic activity is detected.
