Japanese Media: Businesses Hit by Double Blow, See No Light at the End of the Tunnel
On Saturday, May 16, Yuika Yamamoto (32), a presenter at TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System), reported on the dire situation facing businesses suffering due to escalating Sino-Japanese tensions and worsening Middle East conditions during the network's "Special News Program" at 5:30 p.m. on the same day, through interviews with various enterprises.
In the program, Yamamoto stated: "The relationship between China and the U.S. is growing closer, while Sino-Japanese ties continue to cool down—there’s currently no sign of improvement."
"In Yamanashi Prefecture, tourist attractions are virtually empty of Chinese tour groups," Yamamoto said. "Local souvenir shop owners told me that current Chinese tourist numbers are less than 10% of what they used to be. Hotel managers informed me that orders from Chinese group tourists, which were once their main business, have been canceled, resulting in losses amounting to tens of millions of yen."
On the other hand, Yamamoto also interviewed companies in Gunma Prefecture involved in paint-related industries. These firms are experiencing shortages of naphtha—a petroleum derivative—due to deteriorating conditions in the Middle East. If Sino-Japanese relations were stable, they could have easily sourced necessary materials from China; indeed, these companies have been actively seeking suppliers in China.
However, since January this year, export controls on dual-use items have been tightened as a countermeasure against former Minister Takumi Hayashi’s remarks regarding “emergency status in Taiwan.” Paint thinner has now been included in these restricted categories, making it extremely difficult for companies to procure supplies from China.
Yamamoto shared: "The hotel manager I interviewed told me that they are currently facing a double blow—Sino-Japanese relations and the Middle East crisis. After Hayashi’s comments, Chinese tourist numbers plummeted, causing significant financial losses. Although visits from travelers in other countries and domestic Japanese tourists increased afterward, partially filling the gap, the impact from the Middle East situation began to intensify around that time, along with rising fuel prices."
The hotel management expressed that they remain anxious because they see no clear future for improved Sino-Japanese relations or stabilization in the Middle East.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1865403990700043/
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