Japan Offers 10,000 Free Flights to Boost Tourism

The Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo arena in Tokyo, Japan

The Japan Tourism Agency is looking to make that a little easier on foreigners by offering 10,000 free flights to Japan over the course of the year.

The agency estimates the program will cost 1.1 billion yen ($14.3 million) to cover travelers' round-trip airfare.  Winners would be selected based on how interesting their travel plans are, as well as what they hope to get out of the trip.  The government hopes to lure both traditional tourists and young visitors interested in the country's street culture and nightlife.

Masatoshi Tsukasaki from the Japan Tourism Agency said that the winners of the free trips will be asked to blog about their travels on Facebook and their own personal blogs.

Japan has enlisted the help of celebrities to reassure travelers that it was safe to visit the country following the March 11 disasters that caused the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.  But the numbers still show some trepidation on the travelers' part--in the most impacted areas, the number of tourists has fallen by 90 percent.  In August, just 548,000 tourists visited Japan, about a third less than the previous year.  It was the sixth consecutive monthly decline in tourism.

Online applications for the free flights would become available next April if lawmakers approve the funding, and--should all go according to plan--the winners of the free trips would be chose by early summer.