Kyoto City Mayor requests higher transportation fares for tourists

Kyoto City Mayor Matsui Koji has recently requested the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism for support in implementing a system that enables the city to set higher transportation fares for tourists compared to residents. 

The rapid increase in tourists has led to serious congestion issues in Kyoto, with public transportation such as city buses being crowded with tourists, causing inconvenience to the daily lives of local residents. 

On the 25th, Mayor Matsui met Saito Tetsuo -  Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism at the ministry in Tokyo to hand a request letter, seeking support for the implementation of a system where city bus and subway fares for tourists would be higher than that of residents. This is to ease congestion and ensure that citizens can feel the benefits of tourism. 

According to city officials, Minster Saito expressed his understanding of the situation in Kyoto and his willingness to consider the matter further. 

Mayor Matsui said that taxpayers in Kyoto are dissatisfied because they cannot ride city buses and their daily lives are being disrupted. The mayor also expressed his wish to proceed step by step under national guidance despite the possible legislative challenges to establishing pricing prioritizing residents. 

Source: NHK