Q: (Omitted) In the government-sponsored project “Promotion of Sustainable Tourism through the Prevention and Control of Overtourism,” twenty regions across Japan were designated as “Pioneering Model Areas” in March 2024. Among them, which region was designated under the category of “Nature Conservation”? ① Kawagoe ② Mt. Fuji Yoshida Trail ③ Niseko Area ④ Biei
A: ChatGPT’s Answer Pioneering Model Areas focusing on nature conservation: Oirase Gorge (Aomori Prefecture) Overview: Oirase Gorge is one of Aomori’s most famous natural scenic spots, where increasing visitor numbers have raised concerns about environmental impact. Measures: Seasonal restrictions on private car use are implemented to ease traffic congestion and protect the environment. The “Eco Road Festa” raises public awareness of sustainable tourism. Outcome: These initiatives have promoted changes in visitor behavior and contributed to nature conservation. Biei Town (Hokkaido) Overview: Biei is renowned for its beautiful rural scenery, but unauthorized entry into farmland has become a serious issue with the rise in tourism. Measures: AI cameras are installed to monitor and prevent trespassing. Awareness campaigns educate tourists about respecting farmland and observing proper manners. Outcome: These efforts have helped protect farmland and improve tourist behavior. Based on this, I thought the correct answer was ② Biei—but it turned out to be wrong.
According to this, the area classified under Nature Conservation among the options was ② Mt. Fuji Yoshida Trail. As mentioned earlier, Biei falls under Measures against inappropriate tourist behavior, so it is not correct. Incidentally, ① Kawagoe and ③ Niseko Area were categorized as Measures against congestion in public transportation, etc.
To be honest, this is exactly the kind of question where I had hoped ChatGPT would give a precise answer. But I came to realize that when it comes to questions requiring specialized, official knowledge, ChatGPT is far less reliable than I had imagined. I wonder if things would be different with the “paid version.”
[Postscript] ChatGPT’s answer to the question “Would things be different with the paid version?”
Would upgrading to the paid version (such as ChatGPT Plus) solve the problem? In conclusion, switching to the paid version does not automatically increase the accuracy of answers.
The main differences are: Free version → Currently uses GPT-4o mini (lighter and faster, but with the same knowledge base). Paid version → Allows you to use GPT-4o, which is stronger in handling long texts and maintaining consistency in reasoning.
However, both versions share the same training knowledge, which only goes up to around 2023–2024, and they do not store every government document or classification in detail. ➡ Therefore, if you need the level of precision required for exam preparation, it is most reliable not to rely solely on ChatGPT but to combine it with web search and official sources for verification. How to use ChatGPT effectively for questions like this:
Don’t rely only on ChatGPT’s knowledge. → Ask for sources. For example, “According to the official MLIT documents, how is this area classified?” With web access, ChatGPT can check and cite them.
For study purposes: → Let ChatGPT first generate an answer, then cross-check it with the official website to see where the discrepancies are. (This also helps reinforce accurate knowledge.)