With February’s termination of government employment subsidies, which also partially support furlough allowances, Okinawa Prefecture is expected to face a "March Crisis" — a situation in which tourism industry workers face substantial layoffs.
"Okinawan tourism will definitely recover in two or three years. It is hard to find a reason against it," said Kenji Sugimoto, president of JTB Okinawa Corp.
However, if many lose their jobs due to the impact of COVID-19, the local industry will face labor shortages when the economy recovers. Sugimoto is therefore proposing an emergency system through which workers are temporarily seconded to companies so that they can return to their jobs once the economy is back on its feet.
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