Countries Urging Citizens to Leave Japan; Impact Already Sinking Tourism Numbers

The United States and Australia are the latest countries to urge citizens to evacuate Japan or at least avoid the northeast region. The U.S. has chartered flights for citizens who wish to leave the country and has recommended those remaining evacuate 50 miles away from the unstable Fukushima nuclear power plant. The Australian government has advised citizens to leave the area, but does not cite nuclear worries as the cause. Instead, Japan's weakened infrastructure and concerns for people's welfare brought about the evacuation advisement.

In the wake of the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and deadly tsunami, crisis at the Fukushima nuclear power plant had already prompted other countries, such as Britain and France, to call for citizens to evacuate Japan. Other countries advising their nationals to come home or vacate the area are China, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and South Korea.

This mass call for foreigners to leave Japan will have a massive impact on the country's already weak tourism dollars. On March 8, the Japanese government released a plan to boost its tourism gross domestic product from 2 percent to 3 percent. This came after falling short of 2010's 10 million visitor goal. Only 8.61 million tourists visited the island nation from overseas in that year.

The current trifecta of crises beleaguering the Japanese couldn't come at a worse time of year. Late March and throughout April is the high tourism season due to cherry trees blossoming. Even if tourists are willing to disregard the nuclear crisis and visit in large numbers, the infrastructure to the impacted region would not be able to support them. Other areas of the country will have resources tapped by displaced citizens.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan has already appeared to be relying on the Tokoyo Electric Power Company for information on its nuclear plant meltdowns. The Fukushima situation is not improving the already low approval ratings of his government, which had fallen under 20 percent in February due in part to the weak economy. Lack of tourism dollars will negatively impact this.

The political fallout will extend beyond Japan's shores.The reactor issue has already heated up the debate between environmental activists and nuclear power lobbyists in the U.S. Environmentalists urge caution, citing the widespread deadly impact of a nuclear disaster. Lobbyists are arguing that a Fukushima situation would be unlikely in U.S. plants. Heightened awareness from news out of Japan has concerned constituents keeping track of on which side of the debate politicians are aligning.