The plans of Japan’s newly launched Tourism Agency to encourage 20 million foreign visitors to the country by 2020 have been endorsed by Tokyo 2016.
The government-backed Agency, which was launched yesterday, will implement a broad range of activities both domestically and internationally to build on the growing popularity of Japan as a tourist destination.
The new organisation will create dedicated tourist information centres for foreigners and will instigate a range of accommodation, transport and infrastructure upgrades in Tokyo and across the rest of Japan. The Japan Tourism Agency aims to facilitate international exchange through tourism – a goal complemented by Tokyo 2016’s ‘Musubi Promise’ which aims to connect Japan’s vibrant capital city with the rest of the world through a shared passion for sport that unites all people.
Dr Ichiro Kono, Chairman and CEO of Tokyo 2016, said: “As our Bid to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games gains momentum, we are delighted that the launch of a dedicated Tourism Agency will enable the world to better appreciate and experience Japan’s rich history and culture, which are precious treasures of human civilisation. We are passionate about our country and what it has to offer, and we also recognise the power of the Olympic Games to transform cities and nations. We are committed to working with the various government bodies to deliver the world’s greatest metropolitan makeover in preparation for the 2016 Games, and establishing Japan as an eclectic, must-visit destination on the world map.”
The creation of the Japan Tourism Agency is consistent with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s sweeping ten-year master plan – ‘Tokyo’s Big Change’ – to transform the city into a model for sustainable urban development in the 21st Century.
