COMPLETION REPORTOoi Chai Aun
Universiti Utara Malaysia

Mahathir's Look East Policy 2.0: Exploring The Possibility of Creating a Bond in Tourism
Development between Malaysia and Japan
Based on our finding, we show that there is a large difference in governance structure of the external
tourism agency between Japan (JTA) and Malaysia (Tourism Malaysia). JTA controls four sub-divisions
responsible for different scopes, and it also governs two departments responsible for regional andinternational tourism. Besides, a non-profit statutory organization (the JNTO) is responsible for liasing
with international convention and exchange program. We highlight on the need of reform in Tourism
Malaysia in conjunction with LEP 2.0 in terms of task divisions.
Second, we find that JTA involves in making regulation act related to tourism policies. For example, JTA
amend the Licensed Guide Interpreters Act and Travel Agency Act that takes measures to create aregistration system for service providers in tourism and train the professional licensed guide intrepreters
to boost international tourism demand. Through the Act amendment, JTA abolishes business monopoly
by changing the Licensed Guide Interpreters from a business exclusive qualification to individual
exclusive qualification in parallel with prevailing Gig economy.
Besides, JTA involves in communication with various stakeholders not limited to private agency andtourists. We find that JTA works with numerous ministries in improving the efficiency of tourismdevelopment. Other than that, JTA creates a registration system for hotels so that they can keep record of
the hotels’ accommodation facilities, and trace the functions of those facilities according to the needs oftourists. Registration of hotels is mandated by formation of the Act on Development of Hotels for InboundTourists under the amendment of JTA. A special legal exemption is offering to the registered hotels andinns which provide facilities' investments geared towards promoting international visitor stays.
Furthermore, JTA implements Travel Agency Act to maintain fairness in transactions for international
tourists. From here, we can see that JTA understands the issues faced by international tourists and theysolve the issues by working with public and private sectors. This spirit of planning and development isworth highlighted and incorporated into the education proposed under LEP 2.0.
Lastly, we find that Malaysians prefer to travel to Japan more than Japanese tourists traveling to Malaysia.
The biggest issue from our survey questionnaire shows that Japanese tourists could not understandEnglish. The second issue is that Japanese tourists do not share the same appetite with Malaysian foods.
Still, Japanese tourists like to search for Japanese foods in Malaysia. However, Japanese tourists satisfy
with the pricing level in Malaysia, and secondly they thumb-up on the quality of accommodations withreasonable price.
Based on our questionnaire survey, we propose that Malaysia and Japan can collaborate by exchanging
talents for boosting international tourism demand in conjunction with LEP 2.0. First, we suggest
Malaysian government provides guidance on establishing Halal food markets in Japan. Second, wesuggest Japanese government provide low-cost training to Malaysian tourism service providers onJapanese languages and cultural knowledge. In conjunction with annual Bon-Odori festival, and therecently held Nihon Matsuri, Malaysian government should continue to add Japanese cultures into its
tourism portfolio.

-1-Publication of the Results of Research Project:
Verbal Presentation (Date, Venue, Name of Conference, Title of Presentation, Presenter, etc.)

Thesis (Name of Journal and its Date, Title and Author of Thesis, etc.)
Submitting to “International Journal of Business and Society”.
Submission date: 28-10-2022 (in review)
Title: Look East Policy 2.0: Exploring the Possibility of Creating a bond in Tourism Development

between Malaysia and Japan

Book (Publisher and Date of the Book, Title and Author of the Book, etc.)
In-progress-2-