EDITORIAL: Promoting tourism

Asians, or for that matter, people from all over the world, are starting to see Japan in a new light, as an attractive travel destination. The administration of Prime Minister Naoto Kan has announced in its new strategy for growth that one of its goals is to turn Japan into an attractive tourist destination. We support this and more effort should be made to move forward in this direction.

According to the new growth strategy, the government plans to increase the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan to 25 million in the next decade. This is an ambitious target, 3.7 times that of last year's figure of 6.79 million.

Even so, given that Japan is in a prime location within a rapidly-growing Asia and that it has a rich potential of tourism resources, the target should not be difficult to achieve. The government should mobilize an array of various policies to achieve the goal.

Regarding Chinese tourists, whose numbers are expected to rise, there is the matter of relaxing personal visa requirements. Until now, the government has restricted personal visas to only high-income Chinese, but will start to include middle-income people in July. This step will increase the number of qualified households 10-fold.

There were of course those counseling caution that this might allow an influx of potential criminals. It goes without saying that the visa screening process must be rigorous, but the requirements ought to be relaxed step-by-step.

This is expected to buoy Japan's domestic consumption, which is lackluster as the nation's population is declining. It should also help the two countries' relationship mature.

Akihabara and Kyoto are the two major tourist attractions for foreigners. But there are many areas that are rich in tourist resources, such as the natural beauty of the four seasons and sites with traditional and cultural interest. It is encouraging to know places like Hokkaido and Akita became popular among Chinese and South Korean tourists after they were featured in movies or TV dramas.

Within Asia, there are many people who want to travel to Japan's historic sites or onsen hot spring areas. There is also demand for Japan's advanced medicine and well-equipped medical-checkup facilities. And for Europeans, Japan is a land of culture and good food with its kawaii "cute" fashion, anime and restaurants with three-star ratings by Michelin.

For a long time, Japan has been unable to fully utilize its charm. Japan ranks 28th globally, and 6th in Asia, in the number of foreign tourists. Malaysia and Hong Kong attract as many as 20 million tourists a year, respectively. There is no reason why Japan cannot do better.

To make use of the nation's potential, it is imperative to quickly develop tourism infrastructure around the country.

Public transport requires signs not just in English but in Chinese and Korean as well. This should be done not only in the major cities but also in the local regions. Businesses should also take steps with foreign tourists in mind. Recently, some major department stores have increased the number of Chinese staff members. This is also something that should be done more.

In its postwar development, Japan placed a premium on uniform city planning, and swept away landscapes with character. From now on, the nation should focus on rediscovering areas of local charm, and protect and polish them.

That will also help revitalize the regions. The government should try to support these endeavors through deregulation and other such measures.

--The Asahi Shimbun, June 27