Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga

(Abridged)

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Today, prior to the Cabinet meeting, a meeting of the Ministerial Council on the Promotion of Japan as a Tourism-Oriented Country was held, and the 2015 Action Program toward the Realization of Japan as a Tourism-Oriented Country was decided. The Program’s targets include strengthening the customs, immigration, and quarantine (CIQ) system to ensure that we are fully ready for the coming era in which 20 million tourists visit Japan annually. With regard to tax-free shops, their number has more than quadrupled from over 4,000 shops two years ago to over 18,000 shops. However, their number in the regions currently remains at over 6,000 shops. The Program sets a target to increase this number to around 20,000 shops by 2020. As for the amount of money spent by foreign tourists in Japan, which has doubled from over 1 trillion yen two years ago to 2 trillion yen now, we have decided to aim to double this amount again to 4 trillion yen by the time 20 million tourists are visiting Japan. The Government will work as one and press forward with measures to ensure that the rising number of foreign visitors to Japan is not temporary, and to attract tourists to all parts of the country.

Q&As

(Abridged)