Top �� What's up around the Prime Minister �� January, 2003

The first meeting of the Japan Tourism Advisory Council was held at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. From the viewpoint of increasing international exchange and revitalizing the Japanese economy, it has recently become important to make Japan a tourism-based county by creating, rediscovering and maintaining the natural environment, historic heritage and culture which constitute our tourism resources and publicizing those assets at home and abroad. Toward that end, the Advisory Council was newly established for the purpose of studying from a broad perspective the basic modalities of Japan as a tourism-based country, and to work strategically toward this goal under an integrated government policy. Professor Emeritus Shosaburo Kimura of the University of Tokyo was appointed as Chairman. At the opening of the meeting, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi stated, "I would like to work toward the goal of revitalizing regional economies by bringing dormant tourism resources back to life and doubling the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan by 2010. I would like this Advisory Council to compile a report on the basic modalities for becoming a tourism-based country, taking a broad perspective in your discussions."