Hotels across western and central Japan have been hit with widespread cancellations after the first ever ‘megaquake’ advisory was issued for the country.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida cancelled an overseas trip as the Japan Meteorological Agency put the country on a high level of caution for the next few days.
It followed a 7.1 earthquake off the eastern coast of Kyushu on Thursday.
It caused minimal damage overall but scientists believe it may have been triggered by the underwater Nankai Trough.
This trough has in part been responsible for some of Japan’s biggest quakes in history.
About 500 hotel and Ryoken bookings have been cancelled in Shimoda, on the Izu Peninsula, while a regional hotel association in Matsuyama expects at least 1,000 cancellations in the coming week.
The advisory has sparked some confusion and unease while some events planned over the next few days have been cancelled.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi called on people not to panic but to take all necessary precautions and prepare evacuation plans just in case, especially in coastal areas.
However, some local authorities have urged residents to cancel ‘non-urgent’ travel.
