10,000 Free Flights To Japan In 2012: Ain't Gonna Happen!

Above, the Ginza Mitsukoshi Department store in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Remember that story of a few months ago about 10,000 free flights to Japan for foreigners from the Japan Tourism Agency to help boost Japan's tourism? Well, it ain't gonna happen, folks!

The Wall Street Journal reports:

Back in October, Japan’s national tourism agency floated a plan that seemed an ideal remedy to boost flagging visitor numbers in the wake of the March 11 disasters. Free flights to Japan in 2012. A full 10,000 of them.

Now, as the country crunches through the detail of tight budget numbers for next year, the hope many had for visiting Japan in 2012 has evaporated into a pipe dream: There won’t be any free flights next year, period. The budget for them has not been approved.

Whatever tourism authorities thought a good idea, Japan simply can’t afford it, the government’s budget planners have concluded.

Above, the Imperial Palace's Nijubashi Bridge. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Somehow, the announcement was made prematurely, with wire services, news organizations and other sites (including travel-related blogs) running with the story. Potential travelers salavated over the prospect of free airfare.

All this means is that foreign tourists wanting to visit Japan in 2012 will have to come up with the airfare funds on their own. Aw, fiddle sticks!

Above, the Godzilla statue in Hibiya, Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Oh, well. Just get The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan and go anyway.

To read the full article, go here.