Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako visit Kumamoto as government rolls out travel subsidies to win back visitors following July's quake

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako visit Kumamoto as the government rolls out travel subsidies to win back visitors following July’s quake

Travel companies in southern Japan are pinning their hopes on a business revival following a planned visit by Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako to the areas hardest hit by a major earthquake this summer.

The imperial couple is scheduled to meet communities in Kumamoto prefecture on Tuesday, speaking with families who lost their homes and businesses and are currently living in temporary accommodation. The prefecture was at the epicentre of the magnitude 7.1 quake that struck Kyushu island on July 28.

Local tour operators say that the number of international and domestic visitors to Kyushu fell precipitously following the disaster. While there are signs that domestic tourism is picking up, operators are calling for a campaign to reassure tourists that the region is safe to visit again.

Oliver Richardson, a British national working for the non-profit tourism hub Michi-no-Eki Aso, was inside a Costco outlet in Kumamoto city when the earthquake struck. He said the entire building shook violently, causing pallets of goods to fall and block the exits.