TOKYO -- It is almost an annual ritual for Japanese policymakers to vow to unravel the nation's thick web of economic regulations. This year, too, the government has pledged to carry out serious regulatory reform as part of its growth strategy.

But many industries, including the tourist sector, remain burdened by regulations that seem to defy rationale.

One law requires professional tour guides for foreigners to pass a tough state certification test.

Applicants have to sit for exams in a foreign language and on Japanese geography, history and other subjects. They contain such challenging questions as "Explain furikae kyujitsu (substitute national holiday) in English."

One question concerning Japanese society in last year's tour guide certification test was, "What is the Bank of Japan's supreme decision-making body?" The answer is the policy board; only 25% of the test-takers passed the test.

Taku Yamada, who heads Chura-boshi, a company offering guided tours in Gifu Prefecture, often has to decline requests for tours from Western travel agencies because of a shortage of licensed guides. There are less than 10 professional guides in the prefecture, which has popular tourist destinations like Shirakawa-go, a lush valley famous for its thatched-roof farmhouses.

One of Yamada's Japanese acquaintances who served as a tour guide for six years in New Zealand had to spend three years to be certified in Japan. Yamada doesn't see the need to require would-be tour guides to pass such difficult tests.

The number of applicants for the state test halved in the five years to 2013, apparently because of the high bar. Meanwhile, the number of foreign visitors to Japan increased 24% during the period.

This regulation, established in 1949, is responsible for a serious shortage of professional tour guides, especially in rural areas. About 60% of the slightly less than 17,000 registered professional tour guides are in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

Chihiro Nishimoto, head of Japan Area Management, which offers advice to tourist businesses, often feels frustrated about the heavy hand of government regulation, which poses a big obstacle to promoting tourism.

One rule requires lodging facilities to have at least four toilets. This makes it hard to turn old, traditional houses into inns, even though there are many foreign tourists who would like to experience life in such houses.

Remodeling these traditional residences to meet the requirements imposed by the hotel business law and related local ordinances is costly.

The Health Ministry, which created the hotel business law to establish hygiene standards for lodging facilities, shows little interest in promoting tourism.

Shuttle buses that carry tourists from stations to hotels and inns are also tightly regulated. The drivers are required to have a special driving license, and the buses themselves must have a special license plate. In addition, the buses are required to run strictly according to the operation plans submitted to the central government. These buses are banned from stopping at tourist spots that are not on their prescribed routes. The restrictions are meant to safeguard the businesses of other bus operators.

All these unnecessary regulations could hamper government efforts to double the number of foreign visitors by 2020.

(Nikkei)