Japan hotel room prices soar on inbound travel recovery

TOKYO -- Hotel prices in Japan have soared as government subsidies boosting travel kick in and foreign tourists return, with room rates nearly 20% higher in December compared to the same month before the pandemic delivered a serious blow to the sector.

Not only are more tourists coming in, but a labor crunch has forced some hotels to limit the number of rooms on offer, which in turn has cut supply and driven prices up.