Today's Close-Up

Coronavirus Layoffs: A Bus Company's Struggle for Survival (2020x17)

Air date: May 06, 2020

A tour bus company in western Japan had been riding high on a wave of inbound tourism when the coronavirus pandemic decimated its business model and forced a series of layoffs. The continuing spread of the virus has left the company scrounging for earnings and fighting just to survive. NHK spent 3 months documenting the daily struggles and anxieties of both managers and drivers. In this program we consider how the government can help such companies stay afloat in times of crisis.