In Japan’s Kyoto, tech winners help bank weather coronavirus-induced tourism slump

People, wearing protective masks following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), walk on a street of Gion district in Kyoto, Japan. The blow to tourism has been eased by a handful of big Kyoto-based manufacturers like Nintendo, which Bank of Kyoto invested in as startups and continues to back despite pressure from overseas investors to sell. — Reuters

KYOTO: Bank of Kyoto, a regional lender based in the ancient Japanese city, has a unique buffer against the hit to tourism from the coronavirus – dividends from local high-tech heavyweights.

After thriving from a flood of overseas visitors attracted by its historic sites, Kyoto is suffering from plunging inbound tourism as Japan closes its borders to contain the pandemic.