Government Looking At Privatizing Tourist Information Centres

[Mulboyne]

There are 308 Tourist Information Centres for foreigners in Japan but they vary greatly in the kind of information they provide and how they are managed. Feedback from tourists suggests that there should be more centres in better locations. The government is aware that standards need to rise but is concerned about the extra costs this implies. As a result of the jigyo shiwake spending review, the Japan National Tourist Office was recently relieved of the management of the Yurakucho TIC, which is currently on the 10th floor of the Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan. One of the busiest in the country, it will be run by Mitsubishi Estate, the main landholder in the Marunouchi district from next year. Mitsubishi will move it to a 1st floor location in the Shin Tokyo Building, closer to Tokyo Station, and equip it with wi-fi. A new working group has been set up to look at whether this kind of solution might have a broader application. Some are concerned that private interests may affect the neutrality of the information available, while others argue that the internet is making the old style of tourist centre redundant. The group will include Isao Sawa, owner of the Sawanoya Ryokan in Asakusa, which has a high percentage of foreign guests. Writer and broadcaster Elizabeth Kiritani, who first came to Japan in 1979, has also been named. Separately, the Tourism Agency plans to review the operations of some 1200 other government-run information centres, catering primarily to the domestic market.

Sources here and here (Japanese).

[Coligny]

No offense Japan... but the only people who should be running your tourist information centers are here:

http://www.iaea.org/

[matsuki]

...another way to embezzle tax funds?

Why not just set up a better website and replaces these info centers with terminals that or locked on that website. Since we all know Engrish kryptonite to Japanese is actually having to speak, they could even set up a message center that is connected to all the terminals to answer questions via "chat" instead.

[IparryU]

...another way to embezzle tax funds?

Why not just set up a better website and replaces these info centers with terminals that or locked on that website. Since we all know Engrish kryptonite to Japanese is actually having to speak, they could even set up a message center that is connected to all the terminals to answer questions via "chat" instead.

very good idea.... but they should just hire FGs to do the work... get a couple of college kids that are studying tourism in japan and they got cheap and good labor...

but no... they wouldn't want to credit fg for helping the toursim come to the land of four seasons... that would just be uncalled for....

[Kagetsu]

Wait... What? I thought since the whole Fukushima thing it's the land of one season. "Nuclear Winter". ^_~

Honestly, half the tourist centres are crap anyway, of which most have been shut when I go there, and the rest are frankly crap.
One big room with a few stuffed animals and a TV you press a button to watch some convoluted dialogue on how special the area is (can't wait to see the new one for Fukushima!) and how the people of that area preserve the chrysanthemum children's spirit through cultural and environmental sensitivity and tolerance of different cultures.
Meanwhile up the road is an Onsen displaying a sign "no whitey/blackey in here, you smell too much"
(Few smaller western villages on the way to Wakkanai)

[Greji]

Meanwhile up the road is an Onsen displaying a sign "no whitey/blackey in here, you smell too much"
(Few smaller western villages on the way to Wakkanai)

Wow, fire that up to Debito. That's like a whole knew book and lawsuit in the making!

[cuppatea@yahoo.co.jp]

More free wifi in Japan would be great for tourists. We could check our mail, make a call on skype, look at porn on 4chan or futaba,etc.