Japan seeks local tourism shake-up as demand exposes staff shortages

Japan's regional tourism must be transformed to make it a more profitable industry, as surging post-pandemic demand has highlighted staff shortages and low productivity, a government report said Tuesday. The government's call in its annual white paper on tourism comes as companies, which reduced their workforce amid coronavirus pandemic-prompted movement restrictions, are now seeing a rebound in travelers. Tourism is a key driver of local economic activity and employment. From October, the government lifted its pandemic-induced ban on individual, non-prearranged trips from abroad and introduce...