Due to the long-term restrictions on travel to and from overseas due to the effects of the new coronavirus, it was found that more than 80 stores, which accounted for nearly 20% of the total, withdrew from tenants such as restaurants that were operating at Narita Airport. rice field.

In 10 days, it has been three months since the acceptance of foreign tourists was resumed.



From this week, border measures will be further relaxed, and the daily limit on the number of people entering Japan will be raised to 50,000. Rebuilding the acceptance system is a big issue.



Narita Airport, which has the largest number of foreigners entering and leaving Japan, with approximately 18 million people entering and leaving Japan annually, had more than 460 tenants such as restaurants and retail stores before the spread of infection, but so far 84 stores, which is nearly 20% of the total, have opened. I learned from interviews with the airport company that they had withdrawn.



According to the airport company, about 40% of the remaining 380 stores are still closed as of the 3rd of this month.



The number of passengers on international flights at Narita Airport is still down to less than 30% of what it was before COVID-19.



The airport company is supporting tenants by reducing rent, etc., and will continue to support the maintenance and reopening of stores by continuing from next month onwards, except for some stores.

Customer "I feel lonely"

An Israeli man who visited Japan on a business trip said, "When I go to the airport, there are various shops, but now at Narita Airport, many restaurants and souvenir shops are closed, and I feel lonely because I have no choice. I was talking.



A woman who returned from South Korea said, "I was troubled because I couldn't buy souvenirs when I left. Before COVID-19, I thought I could buy anything at the airport, but it wasn't open much."

Tenants who continue to operate "It will be difficult if the situation remains as it is"

On the other hand, sales of tenants that continue to operate have also fallen sharply, and the difficult situation continues.



Sushi restaurants, which were crowded with many foreigners before Corona, have now shortened their business hours and sales have decreased by about 30%.


Tatsuya Onodera, the manager of "Tsukiji Sushiiwa," said, "In the past, many people used to come here because they would not be able to eat for a while before they left Japan, but the number of customers has dropped significantly. I was talking to



In addition, deputy manager Ryuta Nomura of Japanese restaurant Keisei Yuzen said that the staff had retired due to the decrease in customers, saying, "I hope demand will return, but we need to hire new staff and retrain them. There is also, so it will take time to bring it to the same level of service as before Corona."

Significant impact on local businesses around the airport

Wholesale companies in Narita City supply alcoholic beverages and seasonings to restaurants and in-flight meal factories in the airport.

However, because many of the customers have not been able to operate, sales have decreased significantly, and it is said that they are still about half of what they were before COVID-19.



In the company's warehouse, the gaps in the shelves were conspicuous because the inventory of sake, beer, seasonings, etc. was reduced.



Chikako Takizawa, vice president of "Fujiya", said, "The situation continues to be tough. In the spring of the year before the corona crisis, we talked with our business partners that ``it will return to normal next year,'' but the end is still there. I can't see it.There are fewer companies in the vicinity of Narita Airport that are not related to the airport, and it will be a problem if not only the users of the flights but also the region are doing well.Demand will recover quickly and it will return to normal. I want you," he said.