Point 1 Points of the campaign Having identified the target demographic and markets, we will conduct an integrated promotion of benefits, events and tours that will stimulate the desire to visit Japan. Together with sponsors and local government bodies etc., we have devised benefits and events that will stimulate the target demographic (women in their 20s or 30s from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Korea) to visit Japan. We will conduct an integrated promotion aimed at the target by, for example, formulating tours around the above mentioned benefits and events. Point 2 With about 10,000 stores in the Kansai and Tokyo areas participating, this is one of the largest inbound campaigns to be held in Japan. Each area to be showcased has been thoroughly researched. By showing their passports, foreign visitors to Japan can get special benefits and can access events that are not normally available. There will be bus tours within each area linking the various facilities and stores thanks to nationwide coordination by major commercial facilities in each area, local government bodies, shopping mall associations, and businesses participatinginin the Visit Japan Plus activities. There will also be excursions by bus etc. to link the different areas (Shibuya, Odaiba, Asakusa), each of which has its own unique characteristics. Kansai area: Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, Sakai, Wakayama, etc. Tokyo area: Harajuku, Shibuya, Odaiba, Ginza, Yurakucho, Asakusa, etc. *The Visit Japan Plus activities are activities that extend beyond the conventional tourism industry and plus a new perspective and implement new initiatives through coordination with various types of business. Point 3 We have organized a continuous 18 week program of hands on experiences through gimmicks and cooperation with attractive events that are closely linked to the seasons. At Osaka Castle, visitors can experience dressing up in a helmet and battle coat. At Takahata Fudo Temple, visitors can join with Miss Japan Grand Prix 2013 in soybean throwing. We have organized a wide range of events that highlight Japanese customs through winter and spring, such as special events marking Valentine s Day and White Day, a guided fashion tour in Harajuku, costumed role play experience, etc. Point 4 Through partnership with local travel agencies, more than 100 approved original tours will be marketed as part of We will partner with local travel agencies and formulate more than 100 tours. We will arrange various tours around Kansai and Tokyo that will provide many opportunities both for those visiting Japan for the first time and those who have visited before to discover something new. These tours are being aggressively marketed as original tours approved for Point 5 We will utilize the perspective of foreign residents of Japan in all aspects of the campaign, from information gathering to campaign planning and information transmission. Twenty foreign students living in Japan have joined the campaign from the planning stage as campaign supporters. We are making full use of their perspective as foreigners in various aspects of the campaign, from devising a campaign title to SNS communications and media coverage. Point 6 Miss Japan will act as a special campaign supporter and greet foreign visitors to Japan. Miss Japan, who has assumed a role as special supporter, will be at the closing ceremony of Travel Mart on November 21 to greet foreign visitors who have come to Japan for the numerous events and will send out messages by SNS to young women of her generation with timely comments on trends etc. 1
Overview of the Meet The New JAPAN Campaign 2013 Name Meet The New JAPAN Campaign 2013 Concept Period Target Description Participating facilities Website Official Facebook page People are sure to find something they like about Japan and discover a new appealing aspect of Japan Kansai area: December 1, 2012 (Saturday) to February 28, 2013 (Thursday) Tokyo area: February 1, 2013 (Friday) to March 31, 2013 (Sunday) Foreign visitors to Japan (targets individual travelers, groups, couples, and families, etc. from all over the world, with the focus on women in their 20s or 30s from China, Ti Taiwan, Hong Kong, or South Korea) To provide foreign visitors to Japan with opportunities to engage in events that cannot normally be experienced and access special benefits by showing their passports in the Tokyo and Kansai regions, and to market approved original campaign tours to secure an increase in the number of foreign visitors to Japan as a means of stimulating demand for tourism to Japan during the off season. [Kansai area] Participating districts: Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Sakai, Wakayama, etc. [Tokyo area] Participating districts: Harajuku, Shibuya, Odaiba, Ginza, Yurakucho, Asakusa, etc. [Tokyo and Kansai regions] About 10,000 stores (department stores, shopping malls, hotels, tourist facilities, etc.) http://meet j.jp/(in English, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, Korean) Questionnaire campaign with a chance to win air tickets to Japan is underway from November 21, 2012 to January 31, 2013. Search for Meet The New Japan Campaign 2013 Campaign title and logo Campaign title and logo were decided based on the opinions of foreign students The combination of simple English and Japanese includes an interesting play on words with the Japanese word 恋 (koi, meaning love ) sharing the same pronunciation with the Japanese word for come. The pop art design features several tourists spots including the Skytree and Mount Fuji. 2
About 10,000 stores in the Kansai and Tokyo areas will participate. Special benefits available. Kansai area: About 6,000 stores in popular spots including Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, Sakai, and Wakayama will be participating in the 2nd Kansai Mega Sale. Save 5% to 20% and get free novelty goods. Schedule of main events: 1Kick off event (Kansai International Airport) Date and time: December 1 (Sat) 12:00 to 13:30 Place: Kansai International Airport 2Kick off k event (Nipponbashi suji Shopping Street) Date and time: December 1 (Sat) to 2 (Sun) 13:30 to 16:00 Place: Sawada Denki, Nipponbashi suji Shopping Street, Nipponbashi 3 chome Minami intersection *For more information, go to http://www.city.osaka.lg.jp/hodoshiryo/yutoritomidori/0000192794.html Tokyo area: About 4,000 uniquely characteristic ti stores in Harajuku, Shibuya, Odaiba, Ginza/Yurakucho, Asakusa, etc. will be participating Main area events: Asakusa Period: February 1 to March 31 -Asakusa, a charming area where old and new mingle. About 200 stores in this area will offer special ilbenefits. -Opening event at Skytree attended by Miss Japan Grand Prix 2013 etc. Odaiba Period: February 8 to March 10 -During the campaign, from Valentine s Day to the weekend before White Day, visitors will be able to wholeheartedly enjoy Odaiba s shopping, gourmet dining, and hot springs with their loved one, spouse or friends. Miss Japan will be there to greet visitors on the first day of Harajuku Period: March 18 to 24 -KAWAII Harajukugrabs the world s attention. Here visitors will find guided fashion tours, a fashion experience, volunteer interpreters, and OMOTENASHI sweets cafe, etc. -Miss Japan will be there to greet visitors on the first day of Shibuya Period: March 18 to 24 -Shibuya is a constantly evolving locale. As well as various attractions centering on the new Hikarie complex and extending as far as local shopping areas, special novelty gifts will be given away free! -Miss Japan will be there to greet visitors on the first day of We will put together exclusive bus tours etc. to encourage visitors to tour around each highlighted area 3
18 week continuous program of hands on experiences 18 week program of hands on experiences: From December 1 to March 31, there will be a hands on event for foreign visitors to Japan held every week on either Saturday or Sunday in the Kansai and Tokyo areas. We have prepared a variety of options enabling visitors to experience peculiarly Japanese events that only take place in winter and spring. Events (scheduled): (Kansai area) 1Dec 1 (Sat) Kansai Mega Sale, Kansai Airport Greet Event 2Dec 1 (Sat) to 2 (Sun) Kansai Mega Sale, Nipponbashi kick off event 3Dec 8 (Sat) Open air tea ceremony at Kansai Airport 4(to be decided) Experience dressing in helmet and battle coat 5(to be decided) Sports event 6(to be decided) Shopping mall event 7(to be decided) d) Event at large scale l commercial facilities (Tokyo area) 8Feb 1 (Fri) Tokyo kick off event 9Feb 3 (Sun) At Takahata Fudo Temple, experience soybeanthrowing with Miss Japan Grand Prix 2013 10Feb 10 (Sun) Valentine s Day special event 11Feb 17 (Sun) Experience Plum Blossom Festival and traditional culture 12Mar 2 (Sat) Experience the Doll Festival 13Mar 10 (Sun) White Day special event 14Mar 18 (Mon) HARAJUKU OMOTENASHI WEEK 15(to be decided) Opening events in each area 16(to ( be decided) Anime event 17(to be decided) Event for experiencing traditional crafts of Edo 18(to be decided) Ladies cherry blossom viewing party Partnership with local travel agencies Partnership with local travel agencies: We will partner with travel agencies that handle tourism to Japan and formulate over 100 tours approved for this campaign. We are preparing a variety of tours, including tours that will enable people who are visiting Japan for the first time to gain a wealth of memories and experiences, and tours that will enable people who have visited Japan before to experience a new Japan that they didn t know about before. *Some details in this press release regarding the number of participating stores, descriptions of hands-on events, and the number of travel products to be formulated etc. are still in the planning stage and may change. 4
Foreign student supporters and Miss Japan special supporters Foreign student supporters: This group is made up of 20 foreign students from China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong living in Japan. They are working to uncover new attractions in the Tokyo and Kansai areas and promote them to the world. We value their perspectives and ideas as unique to foreigners living in Japan and their careful selections form the backbone of this campaign. Description of the work of the foreign student supporters: These supporters participate in planning sessions, provide coverage of particular areas in official pamphlets, transmit regular official updates to their home countries via Facebook, and participate in events, etc. Miss Japan special supporters: These supporters include Miss Japan and a group of previous winners known as Yamato Nadeshiko Kai. The role of Miss Japan was born more than 60 years ago as a female ambassador of goodwill who greets visitors to convey gratitude for assistance given to Japan. Miss Japan is selected not only for her appearancebut also for her innerbeauty beauty. In this campaign, Miss Japan will warmly greet foreign visitors at various events. 5