As Japan struggles to regain its footing following the nation’s biggest disaster since World War II, Americans are canceling travel plans to the devastated region en masse.

Over the weekend, the State Department issued a warning that urged Americans to avoid unnecessary travel to Japan “at this time.” Though that warning is set to expire April 1, many are canceling trips well past then and into Japan’s peak tourism season.

Horrifying images of destruction and growing fears about a nuclear disaster are making many think twice about their Japan travel plans for the foreseeable future.

The country’s delicate economy, already rocked by the rising cost of clean-up efforts, will no doubt be dealt another blow with the loss of tourism revenue. Japan welcomed 8.6 million visitors last year; about 727,000 of those visitors were Americans.    

Source: MSNBC

Flickr: Official U.S. Navy Imagery