Japan’s mega-earthquake warning has prompted thousands of people to cancel hotel reservations in areas identified as high-risk, hoteliers said on August 13, a move that could hit their revenue at one of the busiest travel times.
While other localities are still welcoming a large number of tourists, Kochi is facing a serious lack of visitors due to the impact of the earthquake warning. The number of 9,400 cancellations in Kochi since the Japan Meteorological Agency (JWA) issued the warning last week shows the level of concern among tourists about the earthquake warning is very high.
The mega-earthquake warning has dealt a heavy blow to the tourism industry, leaving many hotels facing the risk of huge losses.
Union representative Susumu Nishitani said reservations from August 9 to 18 were canceled, causing losses of about 140 million yen ($948,000). Normally, all hotels and inns in Kochi city would be fully booked at this time.
NHK said thousands of customers were expected to cancel their stay at Dogo Onsen, one of the hot springs that inspired the Studio Ghibli film "Spirited Away." Last week, JWA first warned of the risk of a mega-quake around the Nankai Trench, which runs along the Pacific coast.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has just issued a warning about the possibility of a large-scale earthquake in the Nankai Trench, higher than the average in recent years. The epicenter of the earthquake is expected to be in the Nankai Trench area, which is considered by scientists to be one of the most complex seismic regions in the world.
Thousands of cancelled bookings have caused serious economic damage to accommodation establishments in the affected areas.
This warning is a wake-up call, reminding people of the potential risk of natural disasters. If a disaster occurs, strong earthquakes are likely to shake a large area from the Kanto region to the Kyushu region, causing secondary earthquakes and serious landslides. In particular, high tsunami waves can hit the Pacific coastal areas, from the Kanto region to the Okinawa region, sweeping away houses, infrastructure and causing huge human losses.
This year, the holiday is scheduled from August 13-16, but because August 10-11 is a weekend, some businesses or agencies have closed from August 10 to create conditions for people to return home to visit family or go on vacation.
Local media reported that authorities are expected to lift the major earthquake warning this week if no unusual seismic activity is detected.
