Tourists return to Japan, but where are the workers?

Lodging industry cuts capacity after losing 20% of staff during pandemic

20221104N inbound tourists Harajuku

Tourists from the Philippines stroll through Tokyo's Harajuku district. (Photo by Mayumi Tsumita)

AZUSA KAWAKAMI, HAJIME MATSUMOTO and SHOSUKE KATO, Nikkei staff writers

TOKYO -- Japanese airports and hotels are scrambling to handle the influx of tourists streaming across reopened borders, as staffs that withered to skeletal levels during the pandemic have not rebounded to match the rise in customers.

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored ContentThis content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.