Japan Is Open For Business

Above, the Imperial Palace moat in Tokyo.

The tourism industry in Japan was hit hard by the earthquake, tsunami and the problems at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Would-be travelers cancelled their reservations at hotels and attractions throughout Japan, even though those areas were not affected by the March 11 disaster. Much of these cancellations were due to the initial hysterical reporting which had people thinking that all of Japan was affected. Some people seem to think that if they go to Japan, their wives and daughters will return home with full beards due to the radiation.

The New York Times posted an excellent op-ed piece by Takeaki Matsumoto, who is Japan’s minister for foreign affairs. In his op-ed, "Japan Is Open For Business," Matsumoto wrote:

If you imagine that the whole of Japan is covered by debris, that is completely wrong. Most of Japan remains unharmed by the disaster, and the streets have leapt back to life. The major highway that runs through the most affected Tohoku region was reopened only two weeks after the earthquake. The Shinkansen, the bullet train that connects Tokyo and Tohoku region, became fully operational again on April 29.

And he concludes with:

If you are thinking of supporting us in our path towards recovery, the most effective way would be to visit Japan and buy our excellent products, just as before. I call on all of you to be more engaged in the exchange with Japan.

Above, Tokyo Station.

To read the full article, go here.