Government Wants 20 Million Foreign Tourists In 2020

[Mulboyne]

Japan's netizens have just woken up to the fact that the Tourism Agency used Arashi in their recent promotional videos. Régis Arnaud, the Tokyo correspondent for Figaro, wrote a Tokyo Eye column for Newsweek Japan criticizing the decision to use the boy band. Arnaud has attacked the Tourism Agency before: in 2009, in the same forum, (Japanese) he called one of their websites an embarrassment to Japan. Arnaud's recent piece is not yet on the web but it has gathered attention because a Newsweek Japan editorial blogger discussed his comments and those thoughts are already up (Japanese).

Itai News picked up the piece and commenters appear to be falling over themselves to agree with Arnaud. Many see the use of Arashi as just another example of the unhealthy influence of Dentsu and Johnny's Jimusho, who always seem to get these kind of government contracts. We've made the point before here on FG that this kind of campaign seems more aimed at showing domestic constituencies you are trying to do something rather than reaching out to the supposed target audience. The comments on Itai News say the same.

One contributor even says it looks so saccharine, it seems more like something you'd expect from Thailand or the Philippines. That's a disservice to both countries who are usually more professional with their campaigns. Some go further and say that this kind of campaign isn't even effective in Japan any more. PR agencies like Dentsu continue to rely on the same old tired formulas for local efforts even when the impact is often neglible.

As alternatives, commenters suggest using Japanese with high international profiles, like Ichiro, Ken Watanabe or Beat Takeshi. Others think Japan should introduce its leading chefs or use some top foreign sumo wrestlers. Some question whether any personalities are needed at all, arguing instead that a video with higher production values and a better aesthetic would do much better.

[Dreamy_Peach]

[YThq]XTT1O2VtrSY[/YThq]

That is an impressively bad video: production, design, conception ... everything. I have seen students design better.

We should get Renho on the case that our taxes have been used to pay for this kind of crap.

[Taka-Okami]

If it's 20 million gay men they want to visit, then this is a good advert.

[Ganma]

If it's 20 million gay men they want to visit, then this is a good advert.

[Iraira]

Wow....I could only get through about 1/3 of the CM before a mix of diabetes and rage blinded me. As things stand now in Japan, this is not how to convince foreigners to visit. If it is indeed, as Mulboyne stated, a way to make the locals think that something is being done, the locals are....ok, I'm getting angry again...you wouldn't like me when I'm angry.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

If it's 20 million gay men they want to visit, then this is a good advert.

And if they want cornholing, what better than a shitload of corn?

[Mulboyne]

Kanji Ohashi, current head of the Japan Hotel Association, is asked in an interview (Japanese) to say what needs to be done to significantly raise inbound tourism.

He answers by pointing out that Japan is in the Far East and "Far" is definitely how a lot of tourists see the country which can put them off travelling. He thinks cheap flights offered by Low Cost Carriers would help break down this barrier and goes as far as to say that, without budget airlines, Japan can't expect to see a boost in tourist numbers.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Many see the use of Arashi as just another example of the unhealthy influence of Dentsu and Johnny's Jimusho, who always seem to get these kind of government contracts. We've made the point before here on FG that this kind of campaign seems more aimed at showing domestic constituencies you are trying to do something rather than reaching out to the supposed target audience. The comments on Itai News say the same.

Great idea to use a band with little appeal outside of Japan except for possibily with teenage girls in East Asia and to center the message around an onomatopoeia that's meaningless in other languages and symbol and body language that are meaningless in many cultures.

One contributor even says it looks so saccharine, it seems more like something you'd expect from Thailand or the Philippines. That's a disservice to both countries who are usually more professional with their campaigns.

Whoever said that's a fucking idiot considering how much more developed the international tourism industries are in both countries.

[Mike Oxlong]

Japanese retailers pin hopes on free-spending Chinese New Year tourists

With the beginning of the Chinese Lunar New Year on Jan. 23, Japanese retailers are hoping for a restoration of their commercial fortunes as Chinese holidaymakers begin to arrive on Japan's shores by the planeload, thronging tourist spots and shopping streets...

Quite thick with Chinese/Taiwanese tourists down here this week.

[GomiGirl]

Quite thick with Chinese/Taiwanese tourists down here this week.

Where's "down here"?

[tidbits]

Where's "down here"?

You don't know? Somewhere "warm down there"? (sorry I am bored)

What's the temperature there now MO, make me envy please.

[Coligny]

Where's "down here"?

You should have had this conversation with your mother long time ago...

I might still have some educamationnal VHS tapes from the clinic somewhere... But you will need to go dumpster diving for a VCR

[Mike Oxlong]

Where's "down here"?

And here I thought our mod read all the threads and posts...

I'll give you a hint. You vacationed down here several months ago with hubby and baby, and complained about the traffic back to the airport almost making you late for your flight back to Japan's [s]toxic[/s][color="White"]&[/color]radioactive butt-plug.

We topped out at 16 degrees today, but the bitter wind makes it feel so much colder.

[Yokohammer]

[BigInJapan]

We topped out at 16 degrees today, but the bitter wind makes it feel so much colder.

We've got a high of 4C here in Fukuoka today, so my guess is you are farther down the archipelago.
I'm putting my money on Naha, or somewhere else in the Ryūkyū kingdom.

[GomiGirl]

And here I thought our mod read all the threads and posts...

I do, but you blokes all kinda meld into each other and you assume that I actually pay attention to what I read - all I care about is if you are playing nice... I forget who is from where and who has kids or mistresses or lemurs or goats etc.

I have a hard enough time keeping my own family tree straight in my head. I am lucky to remember my husband's name most days. But I know some of you as your names, your screen names etc... so it all gets too confusing for my tiny mind.

I'll give you a hint. You vacationed down here several months ago with hubby and baby, and complained about the traffic back to the airport almost making you late for your flight back to Japan's [s]toxic[/s][color="White"]&[/color]radioactive butt-plug.

OK - gotcha.. lots of palm trees and yank tanks.

We topped out at 16 degrees today, but the bitter wind makes it feel so much colder.

16 sounds balmy...

[IparryU]

I do, but you blokes all kinda meld into each other and you assume that I actually pay attention to what I read - all I care about is if you are playing nice... I forget who is from where and who has kids or mistresses or lemurs or goats etc.

well... lets get back on topic everyone!

20 million tourists (mostly men) to cum here for lemurs, goats, mistresses, and to play nice...

[matsuki]

well... lets get back on topic everyone!

20 million tourists (mostly men) to cum here for lemurs, goats, mistresses, and to play nice...

Yeah, any me thinks less than 1% could care about borderline gay boybands...

[Ganma]

Yeah, any me thinks less than 1% could care about borderline gay boybands...

What do you mean, borderline?

[matsuki]

What do you mean, borderline?

You're right, we should take the international perspective...."flaming gay"

[Mulboyne]

Japan had revised its tourism target to "20 million by 2016". This has now officially been changed back to "16 million by 2016".

[Mulboyne]

Japan had revised its tourism target to "20 million by 2016". This has now officially been changed back to "16 million by 2016".

Sorry, got that wrong. They've split the difference and revised it down to 18 million. They are maintaining the "25 million by 2020" target.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Gotta love Japanese gov't's treatment of statistics...unattainable goals, so revised downward to an achievable figure then crow loudly when they get them.
Not so bad when boasting of things like tourism numbers or unemployment, not so good when you're talking about acceptable levels of radiation exposure.

[Samurai_Jerk]

[james]

[Yokohammer]

[james]

I am looking forward to spring.

yeah, same here. it can't come soon enough this year. snow piled up everywhere and it feels as though we've only had 2 sunny days in as many months. at least it's not dark at 6 p.m. anymore.

[Mike Oxlong]

yeah, same here. it can't come soon enough this year. snow piled up everywhere and it feels as though we've only had 2 sunny days in as many months. at least it's not dark at 6 p.m. anymore.

The weather seems to be jacked everywhere. We have had rain from October straight through until February. A second rainy season longer than the first. While not cold like you got, it has been dark and wet in a time that is normally bright and dry. If I wanted to live in London I woulda moved there...

[Coligny]

I'll join the coral of grandpa complaining aboot the weather...

While as usual... we don't have snow (because it just took me 1 week to make snow chains for my RC semis, no way to also have real snow to test them...)... It's been nightmare_ishly cold...
Heating fuel consumption going throught the roof (4x20l -mom- and 4x18L -me- every week and a half while I don't remember buying toyu more than twice last year... Someday am freezing with combined toyu and ceramic fan heater... The result... I spend most of my time in bed with heating blanket playing the dutch oven game with the cats under the covers... I'm not exactly productive most of the year... I'm traditionnally less active in winter (enjoying my -lack of sun- induced nervous breakdown) this year I'm close to be declared clinically dead...

I think the real killer for this year is the insane wind. I feel the draft from the windows all day and all night long and crosswind at road intersections would seriously justify having windsocks like in small airfields...

[Coligny]

Also... I wuz just baking some pain perdu (because, with all that daytime sleep I'm sort of obliged to get loaded on sleepa pills for the night... and being yer average hypocondriac frog... I develop resistance to anykind of drug in around 2 weeks... meaning that we are reaching the point in winter were I tried and build resistance for all those that worked (*) and should now either switch to horse tranquiliser or start using chloroform...

So... I wuz cooking and realised that once again the firetrucks were parading around in full light and sound rushing to another emergency... and it's like this nearly every [s]days[/s] NIGHT since the cold and wind decided to go for a prolonged overstay... So I'm ready to bet that more than one kerozene heater is misbehaving... (and yeah, I also burned 1 slice... but is okay... got plenty all good remaining... anybody in for tomorrow breakfast ? I got the cinamon too...)




(*) Dont get me started on anxiolitics that go straight to the antagonist reaction... Think: you are in state of road rage the second you start the engine up until 30 minutes after parking the car...
/and now I'm dying for some nuggets but I can't go far with the car because me Dj00ly is on reserve dutycall meaning she's supposed to reach the hospital in less than 30 minutes... So in fact it would be awesome if she was called because there is a 24h McDo near the hospital...
//Will try a cheeze sandwich but the bread was already old last thursday, I think it's no longer even safe...