Japan's latest efforts to block the spread of the coronavirus are not going down well with the tourism industry. With cases on the rise, the government opted to temporarily halt a travel subsidy program nationwide for a period of two weeks around the New Year holiday.

The announcement caught many would-be tourists off guard. An online booking company says it's been caught in a deluge of inquiries -- with most deciding to cancel their trips outright.

Japanese tourism minister Akaba Kazuyoshi says the government intends, in principle, to extend its tourism subsidy program to the end of June.

The government's "Go To Travel" campaign offers discounts for domestic travel to help the pandemic-ravaged tourism industry. It is due to expire around the end of January.

Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko says the central government has agreed to ask seniors and people with underlying health issues to refrain from using its tourism campaign when traveling to and from the capital.

Koike on Tuesday met with Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, and later spoke to reporters at the metropolitan government building.

Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko says she will consider steps relating to the central government's "Go To Travel" domestic tourism campaign, while monitoring the situation of coronavirus infections in the capital.

Koike told reporters on Saturday that the metropolitan government has sent inquiries to relevant ministries and agencies to obtain details of the campaign's temporary suspension. She said she will consider what to do after receiving responses.

The Japanese government has scaled back a popular domestic tourism campaign due to the coronavirus, which is now spreading rapidly nationwide.

Economic Revitalization Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi said, "Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide and ministers concerned have decided to temporarily halt subsidies for travel to the cities of Sapporo and Osaka."

Japan's tourism minister says two cities are to be excluded from the government's Go To Travel domestic tourism campaign due to a recent surge in the number of coronavirus cases there.

Akaba Kazuyoshi said on Tuesday that the campaign will be suspended for trips to Sapporo City in the northern prefecture of Hokkaido and Osaka City, western Japan, from Tuesday until December 15.

Japan's tourism minister has announced that the government will allocate additional funds to its tourism campaign, aimed at boosting the pandemic-hit economy.

The move comes after some travel websites became unable to give a promised level of discounts.

NHK has learned that a risk simulation using artificial intelligence found that contact tracing is the key to controlling the spread of coronavirus brought by tourists.

Japan's government-sponsored "Go To Travel" campaign, aimed at boosting domestic tourism with offers of subsidies and discounts, begins on Wednesday. Tours to and from Tokyo are excluded from the campaign.

Japan's minister in charge of coronavirus response says a government panel of experts has approved a domestic tourism campaign that excludes travel plans to and from Tokyo.

Nishimura Yasutoshi made the announcement on the "Go To Travel" drive after a subcommittee meeting on Thursday.

Japan's current account surplus has grown for the first time in two years in 2019 on the back of strong investment income and a booming tourist trade.

Finance Ministry officials say last year's surplus topped 20 trillion yen, or about 183 billion dollars. That's up by roughly 7.6 billion dollars from the previous year.

Japan's transport and tourism minister says the coronavirus outbreak is expected to hit the country's tourism industry hard, and the government is considering support measures.

Kazuyoshi Akaba told reporters on Monday that regular passenger flights connecting Japan and China have been reduced by 60 percent. He said he is concerned about a further reduction.