In this episode, I reflect on Japan’s growing emphasis on tourism as a national strategy and ask what it reveals about the country’s current direction. Tourism is often presented as a hopeful engine for economic revival, yet it is typically a labor-intensive, low-productivity sector that struggles to support long-term stability. By looking at issues such as demographic decline, aging society, and limited wage growth, this episode questions whether tourism can truly address Japan’s deeper structural challenges. Rather than offering easy answers, the discussion explores why tourism has become an appealing option—and what may be overlooked when it is treated as a central solution.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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