Japan inbound travel recovering amid airport staff shortage increases

Inbound tourism to Japan has begun to recover since the easing of COVID-19 border controls but a shortage of staff has become an increasing problem for the airline industry, as many who left their jobs during the pandemic have not returned. Airport staff quitting due to the sharp decline in travelers during the height of the pandemic has resulted in a more than 20 percent decrease in security inspectors nationwide. Although airlines have made concerted efforts to secure personnel for ground operations, many occupations in the industry require qualifications and experience, meaning a return to an adequate supply of staff will take time. "Forty percent of the security staff at Fukuoka Airport quit during the pandemic. We don't have a normal situation," said Tatsuya Yamanaka, an assistant manager of the human resources department at security firm Nishikei, which conducts security inspections at the airport. While the company had been capable of handling six passenger lanes at security checkpoints for international routes before the pandemic, it can currently only manage three to four at a time. At the international terminal, where the number of visitors to Japan from South Korea, Southeast Asia and other regions has increased significantly since the relaxation of border measures, it is now not uncommon to see long lines of people snaking through the baggage inspection area, with waiting times often over 30 minutes. But congestion is also a daily occurrence for domestic flights.<br/>