Japan tour operators are hoping bookings will return following the lifting of a travel ban to Tokyo and despite a further earthquake in the north of the country.
Electricity was cut across a huge area of northern Japan, forcing cooling systems at three nuclear plants to switch to emergency power and plunging more than 3.3 million households into darkness late last night local time.
National broadcaster NHK said three people had been killed by the 7.1 magnitude tremor – one of the most powerful to hit Japan since the country’s worst post-war disaster almost four weeks ago.
A fresh tsunami alert was withdrawn 83 minutes after the 11.32pm aftershock which swayed buildings in Tokyo, more than 300 kilometres away.
The US Geological Survey said the aftershock’s epicentre was under the sea 66 kilometres (40 miles) east of Sendai, a city severely affected by the March 11 disaster.
Japan Airlines plans to run extra domestic flights from Tokyo and Osaka to Sendai Airport which is due to re-open on April 13.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office lifted its travel ban on all but essential travel to Tokyo on Wednesday night.
A spokesman for InsideJapan Tours said: “We are hoping with the lifting of the FCO advice that people will start looking at Japan again.”
He added that yesterday’s earthquake did not affect tourist areas.
“It doesn’t affect the vast majority of Japan,” he said.
Customers who want to cancel Tokyo bookings would be subject to normal terms and conditions, he said.
Meanwhile, the operator is offering agents 13% commission on all bookings with departures before the end of June. Standard commission is 10%.