Page 189 - Volcano and Geothermal Tourism

166 Asia

reflected in the availability of insurance and question of safety in natural events such as
insurance underwriting for natural disasters in earthquakes, eruptions, typhoons and the like
Japan. At the time of the Great Kanto earthquake (Japan Times, 2004b).
in 1923 businesses had to write off quake inflicted While none of the above-mentioned problems
losses (Sawai, 1999). Today, adequate earthquake are beyond solving (and some don’t even really
insurance is available although it is very expensive exist at all – like concerns over how the foreigner
because of high inner city land costs. This is might react in a natural disaster, if appropriate
illustrated by the 2004 earthquakes in Niigata measures are in place to avoid them), the
Prefecture which caused catastrophic landslides perception is growing that visitors may not
and destroyed buildings. According to insurance receive the same assistance in a disaster situation
specialists (Japan Times, 2004a) these events will as locals. Eyewitness accounts of the Kobe disaster
not greatly damage non-life insurance firm balance report that the Japanese self-defence forces
sheets because of their high statutory reserves and preferentially rescued Japanese citizens rather than
the nation’s financial safety net that protects them. foreigners in some cases, while a quarantine
Under this earthquake insurance system, established period was imposed on rescue dogs from
in 1966, the greater the damage, the more the Switzerland with the clear implication that this
government pays. If total damage is assessed at 75 was a deliberate ploy to exclude foreign help in
billion yen or lower, insurance companies have to clean-up operations (www.dragonstrike.com/
bear the full cost of payments. But if damage mrk/disaster.htm).
reaches between 75 billion yen and one trillion That such anti-foreigner attitudes are not held
yen, the government will split the cost with by all Japanese may be evidenced by the fact that
insurers, while damage beyond this amount will in the aftermath of the 2004 Niigata earthquakes
be covered by the government up to 95 per cent the Kyoto City International Foundation began
of the difference. raising money to help offer counselling services
assistance to foreign residents and visitors affected
The likely impact of natural by the earthquakes. The Foundation uses the cash
disasters on inbound and raised to provide foreigners in the area with
domestic tourism psychological care, as many of them have been left
shell-shocked by the seemingly non-stop temblors
What then has been the effect of such natural that rocked the region during the last months of
disasters on tourism in and to Japan? Although 2004. Some foreign workers even lost their jobs
there is very little published information on this because of damage to workplaces and business
question, several observations can be made. At a operations after the earthquakes (Japan Times,
forum held to discuss Japan’s difficulty in attracting 2004b).
foreign visitors and analyse what is needed to However, the existence of a difficult language
make the 2003 Yokoso Japan! (Welcome Japan!) barrier in these situations was recently
campaign a success, it was suggested that high acknowledged in a report that local governments
prices were not the sole reason for Japan’s and radio and television stations might broadcast
reputation as an unsuitable holiday destination disaster warnings and information using children’s-
(Japan Times, 2004b). Long lines at immigration level Japanese so that foreigners could understand
counters, a lack of information in English and them (Japan Times, 2005a). The announcements
other languages, restrictive banking hours (and have been printed in a manual that will be
very poor inter-bank connectivity/lack of internet distributed mainly to the disaster preparedness
banking), a lack of shops that accept credit cards departments of Prefectural governments and
and difficulties for foreigners in using highways broadcasters. The manual, written in a level of
because of poorly displayed signs have also harmed Japanese which would otherwise be suitable for
Japan’s tourist potential. Participants to the forum elementary school second- and third-graders, was
also commentated on factors ranging from the compiled by a group led by a Professor of
reserve of the Japanese towards foreigners to the Sociolinguistics. Tsunami warnings, for example,

Ch10.indd 166 3/28/2010 1:29:12 PM