Prime Minister Kishida Fumio says Japan needs new measures to promote tourism in regions outside major cities and other well-known attractions.
At a meeting with relevant ministers on Friday, Kishida said: "The government should focus on the issue and make flexible use of the increase in tax revenue from international visitors to attract more tourists, offer more variety in places to visit, and create sustainable tourism areas."
But one practical obstacle to bringing more tourists into Japan and on to less-visited regions is a lack of flights. This in turn is linked to shortages of jet fuel.
Many foreign airlines say they are unable to launch new routes or increase scheduled flights to Japan's regional airports because they can't secure stable supplies of jet fuel. This is said to be affecting 140 flights a week.
Domestic oil refineries are attempting to ease the shortage by producing more of the fuel. Trading houses are also trying to help by importing airline fuel and delivering it directly to Narita Airport, one of Japan's main gateways.
In addition, airport operators are seeking government assistance in longer-term planning to accommodate carriers looking to add more flights to Japan. This would help in future preparations to make sure there are sufficient supplies of jet fuel.
Kishida noted that Japan can expect 35 million arrivals per year with their spending likely to reach as much as eight trillion yen, or roughly 51 billion dollars.
Kishida underscored the importance of attracting more foreign tourists to regional destinations. He called for government-wide, concerted efforts to expand inbound tourism and make the tourist industry more sustainable.