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| Top What's up around the Prime Minister February, 2004 |
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Meeting with Ambassadors on Tourism Policy
Click photographs to enlarge Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi invited ambassadors and other officials of 12 countries and regions including the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States and held a meeting on tourism policy at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. The Government of Japan regards realizing Japan as a country built on tourism through drastic increase in foreign travelers visiting Japan as one of its most important issues. Inviting the ambassadors in Japan of major countries built on tourism, the objective of the meeting on this day was for Prime Minister Koizumi himself to appeal to them on Japan's intention to realize Japan as a country built on tourism, and also to learn about each country's tourism policy, especially about their experience and know-how on accepting foreign travelers. At the opening of the meeting, Prime Minister Koizumi addressed them by saying, "Today I have invited ambassadors of the top five countries built on tourism by tourists from abroad, and ambassadors of top ten countries from which most tourists to Japan come. In my general policy speech last year, I set a goal to double the number of tourists from overseas which is currently at five million to ten million people by 2010, aiming to realize a country built on tourism. Drawing upon your opinions, I would like people from overseas to visit Japan and to gain momentum for economic revitalization." Then the video to promote foreign travelers to visit Japan entitled "Yokoso! Japan" (Welcome to Japan!) with an appearance by Prime Minister Koizumi that was created as part of the "Visit Japan Campaign" to transmit the charms of Japan to overseas was shown, and opinions were vigorously exchanged together with the members of the Japan Tourism Advisory Council.
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