102: Why is Kyoto going bankrupt? w/ Eric Johnston

Deep Dive from The Japan Times

Over the past few years a combination of overspending and lack of tax revenue has put the city of Kyoto in a precarious financial situation, made worse by the lack of domestic and international tourism to the city during the pandemic.
The Japan Times' senior national correspondent, Eric Johnston, joins us from Osaka to explain Kyoto's problems, and what the city needs to do to get itself out its predicament.
Read more:

• Kyoto is facing bankruptcy. What happens now? (Eric Johnston, The Japan Times)
• Kyoto's reconstruction plan calls for big spending cuts (Eric Johnston, The Japan Times)
• Kyoto without tourists: How the ancient capital looks without its crowds (Oscar Boyd, The Japan Times)

On this episode:
Eric Johnston: Articles
Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram
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Photo: Kinkakuji, otherwise known as the Golden Pavilion, was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994 and usually attracts over 5 million visitors per year. During the pandemic it has received a fraction of that number. | Oscar Boyd