Japan to OK train fare hikes for holidays, weekends due to 'overtourism' concerns

The Japanese government said Wednesday it will allow operators to raise railway fares during holiday seasons and weekends as a crowd control measure, amid concerns about "overtourism" due to a rapid recovery in people traveling since the lifting of coronavirus restrictions.

The government also decided at a ministerial meeting on promoting tourism to relax rules around introducing express bus services, in order to directly connect train stations and tourist spots and alleviate traffic jams, which can disrupt local residents in nearby areas during their commutes.

The new package, which seeks to address the drawbacks of tourism such as traffic, pollution and littering, comes amid a recovery in the number of inbound tourists to Japan.

Government data on Wednesday showed that the number of foreign visitors to the country reached 2.18 million in September, representing 96.1 percent of the figure for the same month in 2019 before the outbreak of the pandemic.

"In some areas and during certain periods, there has been an impact on the lives of local residents due to inbound tourists, such as bad manners," as well as excessive traffic, said Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the meeting, vowing to address the effects of "overtourism."

On increasing railway fares in line with congestion levels, the government is looking at utilizing an existing system that would allow railway operators to swiftly hike fares by conducting a simplified review, provided the price increases are not intended to boost revenues.

The government also plans to allow the use of another system in which struggling railway operators in regional areas can raise fares above the current limit by filing a request with the government, as long as they have the permission of local authorities.

To facilitate the opening of express bus services for ferrying travelers to popular tourist spots, the government will also ease rules by allowing operators to set fees merely by filling out an application, whereas they previously needed to obtain permission.

But whether the new measures are widely implemented remains uncertain, as implementing them will be left to companies that do business at tourist spots. Companies will also need to reach a consensus with local governments before introducing any plans that could result in increasing the burden on local residents.

Japan has seen a string of tourism-related issues in recent years. In Biei in Hokkaido, northern Japan, tourists have trespassed into private farmland to take pictures of the town's beautiful scenery, while an increase in sightseeing vehicles has resulted in traffic congestion.

In Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, near Tokyo, problems have been created by tourists littering, as well as their increased presence on a public road to take pictures of a railroad crossing featured in the popular basketball manga and anime series "Slam Dunk."

In Kyoto, buses packed with tourists carrying large amounts of luggage have become an issue, while some have taken pictures of geisha and their apprentices, called maiko, without permission.