The Japan Business Federation proposed June 21, 2004, holding an animation and robot exhibition to help boost the number of foreign tourists to Japan to 10 million by 2010, reports Yahoo.com.
The nation's biggest business lobby, known as Nippon Keidanren, recommended Japan host an animation and robot exhibition as early as 2009 between the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and the 2010 World Exposition in Shanghai to introduce Japanese pop culture and state-of-the-art technologies to the world.
In a 10-point policy proposal to bring in more foreign tourists, the business group recommended the government to simplify its visa-issuance procedures.
In addition, it urged making permanent the visa-free travel program for people from South Korea and Taiwan for tourism and business purposes. As a temporary measure, travelers from South Korea and Taiwan are currently allowed to visit Japan without visas for up to 90 days during the 2005 Exposition in Aichi Prefecture that began March 25 for a 185-day run through Sept. 25.
Other proposals included promoting the use of multilingual tourist information as well as accepting more foreign students and encouraging tourism-related companies to employ them.
Nippon Keidanren said it would draft firm action strategies for central and local governments to use as guidelines.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
