Japan Tourism Agency inaugurated

TOKYO, Oct. 1 Kyodo - The Japan Tourism Agency was inaugurated Wednesday to promote the nation's tourism industry and increase the appeal of Japan to foreign tourists.

In order to help the government achieve its target of expanding the number of
foreign visitors to Japan to 20 million in 2020 from 8.35 million last year,
the new agency will develop human resources in the travel industry and promote
local governments' collaboration in developing new tour spots.
The agency's first commissioner, Yoshiaki Hompo, said at a news conference he
would like to give priority to tourism development in rural regions and relax
conditions for tourist visas.
''Japan's real attractions exist in rural regions,'' he said. ''Although the
three major metropolitan regions now attract 70 percent of foreigners touring
Japan, we would like to raise the percentage for other regions to more than 40
percent.''
The 103-member agency, which operates as an external body of the Ministry of
Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, is the first auxiliary entity for
the central government since the 2000 creation of the Financial Services
Agency.
The government also created the 181-member Japan Transport Safety Board on
Wednesday, bringing together two units under the transport ministry -- the
Aircraft and Railway Accidents Investigation Commission and the investigative
division of the Marine Accident Inquiry Agency.
Operating more independently, the board is designed to reinforce initial
responses to transport accidents.
It is empowered to recommend remedial measures to parties to accidents and
brief accident victims and their families on accident investigation results.