The number of Japanese tourists who visited Hawaiʻi this year is down 73% from 2019. It’s hard to say when the arrival count will reach pre-pandemic numbers, which is why local businesses are bringing their products to Japan instead.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency has officially ended, as previously announced. Nearly 1,200 Hawaiʻi residents died from COVID-19. Gov. Josh Green said the state expected to see over 4,000 deaths each year if no action was taken.