>IntroductionJAPAN

an enhanced environment
for innovative thinking
Everybody knows about Japan’s unique culture, unbeatable hospitality andworld-class infrastructure. It’s this combination that makes it such a popular
destination among international association planners and delegates. But let’s
not forget what makes Japan too: this unique mix of rich traditions and worldrenowned scientific developments. Because in Japan, it seems, new ideas starton a daily basis.
Report Rémi Dévé
Japan may have it all: snow-capped mountains in the North, pine-clad islandsin the South, world-class infrastructure all over, unique culture and innovative
developments... In fact, coming to Japan brings visitors into contact with theimagination and intelligence of the country’s outstanding people and culture,
touching upon its high quality, technological expertise and creativity. This
combination will undoubtedly lead to new ways of thinking and reflecting, inspiring
new ideas and triggering insights you would have a hard time finding anywhere else.
Aiming to be the leading MICE destination in Asia by 2030 and already looking beyond
the 2020 Olympics, Japan boasts one of the largest national memberships withinmany international associations, and has a world-class record of hosting successfulinternational association events. With several industry clusters around the country(see map), it’s easy to find links that will help associations grow their membership andcongresses boost their attendance.
New ideas start in Japan because, culturally, it is simply very powerful. On one hand,‘kaizen’, the commitment to continual improvement, ensures that the organiser’s
needs will be fully met, while, on the other, ‘omotenashi’, the formidable sensitivity toguest needs and sense of service, will guarantee the smooth running of any meeting.

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Mt Fuji

Easy Access to and in Japan
Direct international flights
Nearly all major international airlines offer flights
to Japan, serving one of Japan’s three majorinternational hub airports, with Tokyo’s Narita
Airport, Osaka’s Kansai Airport and Nagoya’s
Chubu Centrair Airport. The country also boasts
over 30 regional airports serving other Asian
destinations.
Domestic Transportation
Domestic Flights: There are over ninety domestic
airports throughout Japan, making it possible forvisitors to reach all corners of Japan from within
two hours of arriving in Tokyo.
Railways: There are 27,000 km of rails connecting
every corner of Japan. This huge system isknown for its efficiency and is almost always
accurate to the minute. Who hasn’t heard,
indeed, of the Shinkansen (“bullet train”), linking
large cities and making rail travel often evenquicker than flying?
Urban Railways and Subways: In Japan’s largest
cities like Tokyo and Osaka, the rail and subway
systems are circularly-arranged with lines
radiating from the city centres. They make travel
around cities very fast and convenient.

This Headquarters supplement is a product of Meeting Media Company - February 2016

>Introduction

Three questions to MAMORU
KOBORI, Japan National
Tourism Organization
As a wrapup of my intense trip in Japan in
December, I met with JNTO Executive Vice
President, who shared his thoughts andinsights about what makes Japan a great
association destination.

“New ideas starts here”, according to therecent tagline: in what way(s) is Japan
innovative?
Japan’s profile on the international scene
has a bit weakened over the last decade,with the emergence of new MICE destinations and the fierce competition in Asia inparticular and in the world in general. It wastime for us to come up with something new,something that is immediately recognisable
in the international market. “New Ideas
start here” indicates that we can provide
an enhanced environment for innovative
thinking. If Japan has all the hardware youcan expect, it’s the software that is important, not only the traditional elements you
expect to find, but also the fresh, advanced
technologies and industries. If you organisea meeting in Japan, it will be likely that moreideas will be created on that occasion.
How does the tagline translate into themeetings industry?
The Japanese government clearly understands the importance of MICE and the economic and financial impact it can have on adestination – but also in terms of knowledge
exchange and the creation of new ways ofthinking. They set up not a quantitative but
a qualitative goal for meetings in Japan andhave urged all stakeholders to work hand inhand to make Japan the first meeting country in Asia by 2030. They have identified 12highly distinctive cities, each with their own
industry clusters, making them a destinationof choice for planners.
What are Japan’s assets for international
association planners?
If the organisation of the 2020 Olympics willdefinitely give the country a boost in termsof infrastructure development, Japan ofcourse boasts many strengths already: it’seasy to access internationally, with a strong
air network, it’s easy to get around whether
by plane or by rail and it’s very stable sociallyand economically, creating an ideal environment for association meetings. If we alreadylook beyond 2020, we are confident Japan is
becoming a major player in the international
market.

competitive industries in Japan
Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries& Food in Sapporo

Environmental
industry in Kyoto

SapporoMedicine
in Osaka

Agriculture, Forestry,
Fisheries & Food in Sendai

Electrical Machinery &Automotive in Hiroshima
Electrical
Machinery &Automotive inKobe
Leisure, Tourism &Sport in Fukuoka

Sendai

ICT in TokyoTokyo

NagoyaKyoto
Kobe Osaka

Chiba
Yokohama

Leisure, Tourism &Sport in Chiba

Hiroshima
FukuokaElectrical Machinery &Automotive in Yokohama

Marine-related
research in Okinawa
Okinawa

Electrical Machinery &Automotive in Nagoya
HEADQUARTERS - february 20163

> Knowledge & Talent

Where Knowledge and Talent MeetJapan’s success in industry and academia
is no secret. The country’s expertise invarious fields of endeavours is testament to a knowledge-based economy ofworld-renowned.
Japan has for a long time been a leading
force for research and development in manyindustries - from engineering and pharmaceuticals to robotics, finance and ICT - andalso has a strong academic community witha driven spirit as evidenced by its 24 Nobel
Prize winners in areas such as physics, chemistry, and medicine. In 2014, Hiroshi Amanoand Isamu Akasaki were awarded the Nobel
Prize in Physics for the invention of LED, orblue light-emitting diodes. In 2015, it was
Satoshi Omura and Takaaki Kajita’s turn, theformer for his discoveries concerning a novel
therapy against infections; the latter for the
discovery of neutrino oscillations.
If there is also a ‘cool’ Japan, with creativeand original media content, fashion anddesign attracting international attention, theknowledge the country boasts is visible inthe corporate headquarters of famous companies to be found all over, including Hitachi,
Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Sony, Sumitomo,
Takeda Pharmaceutical and Nippon Steel &Sumitomo Metal and many others. Add tothis the fact that many researchers are members of international societies and a growing
association sector and you’ll have a winningcombination for a successful meeting in any
corner of the country!

Japan’s expertise is also to be found in themeetings industry itself, as Japan National
Tourism Organization (JNTO), together
with local convention bureaus, professional
congress organisers and DMCs, have a lotof experience in hosting international conferences. One example speaks louder thanothers: In October 2012, the Annual Meetingof the IMF and World Bank Group, came toTokyo with more than 10,000 delegates. The
meeting destination had to be rescheduled
a short 16 months in advance, and industry
players coordinated the move to Japan with
passion and dedication, ensuring a smoothtransfer and a very successful meeting. Thiskind of professionalism of course will apply
to any event to be held in Japan!

A few of Japan’s distinctive universities and/or
RIKEN, Institute of Physical andChemical Research (Kobe)
Founded in 1917 as a private research foundation in Tokyo, RIKEN is Japan’slargest comprehensive research institution renowned for high-quality
research in a diverse range of scientific disciplines. It has grown rapidly in sizeand scope, today encompassing a network of world-class research centres
and institutes across the country. It conducts research in many areas of science, including physics, chemistry, biology, medical science, engineering,
performance computing, ranging from basic research to practical applications.

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Nagoya University
A globally renowned faculty boasting Nobel Laureates, among many otherawards, Nagoya University (NU) was first founded in 1871 and has sincegrown to be one of the world’s top research universities. Throughout its
history, NU has maintained a free and vibrant academic culture. Numbers
here speak for themselves: 9 undergraduate and 14 graduate schools cover awide range of disciplines, such as medicine, natural or social sciences, liberalarts and engineering. NU houses 16,500 students in total, 13% of which areinternational and regularly hosts congresses in its meeting facilities.

> Knowledge & Talent

Case Study
World Engineering Conference
and Convention 2015
With a record attendance of about
3,000 participants from 80 countries
and regions, the World Engineering
Conference and Convention 2015 successfully took place at ICC Kyoto 29
November-2 December 2015.
The World Engineering Conference andConvention (WECC2015) showcased Japanas a nation built on scientific and technological innovation to achieve sustainable
development in the 21st century. WECC2015
also provided a forum for sharing information focused on innovations required tomake sustainable development a reality andadvances in fundamental technologies toachieve this vision.
When asked about Japan’s added values as ameeting destination, Marwan Abdelhamid,

President of the World Federation ofEngineering Organizations, was pretty clear:“In addition to Japan providing an ideal platform for engineering innovations of all kinds- from robotics to nuclear technology and such
– the country’s environment makes it an ideal
destination: people are kind and disciplined,
always eager to help, with a unbeatable senseof service; places are clean and safe… andbeautiful Kyoto is the cradle of the Japanese
civilisation - delegates love it – and very easy
to access. To me, Japan as a whole ticks all theboxes.”

Marwan Abdelhamid

WECC2015

In this regard, thanks for its organisation in
Japan, WECC2015 has already made a productive contribution to worldwide peaceand socioeconomic progress, adopting both
local and global perspectives.
Fushimi Inariresearch organisations
IRIDeS, International Research Institute of Disaster
Science @ Tohoku University (Sendai)In response to the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, Tohoku University established theInternational Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS) as a new multidisciplinary centre, conducting practical disaster risk reduction research. Learning from the region’s experiences with a great dealof scientific data, IRIDeS aims to provide solutions to better deal with rare but possible mega-disasters
within Japan and abroad. IRIDeS is Tohoku University’s first new research institute in 70 years, and offers
input to policy making processes at local, national, and international levels. On the occasion of theUnited Nations Third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai in March 2015, IRIDeS madea significant contribution to shape the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.

UPCOMING CONFERENCES
IN JAPAN• ICC2016 (19 InternationalthCongress of Cytology), 28 May1 June 2016, Pacifico Yokohama,
5,000 delegates• ICP 2016 (31 InternationalstCongress of Psychology) 24 July29 July 2016, Pacifico Yokohama,
7,000 delegates• 13 International Conference onthFlow Dynamics, 10-12 October
2016, Sendai International Center,
500 delegates• 40 World Congress of thethInternational College of Surgeons,23-26 October 2016, Kyoto
International Conference Center,
3,000 delegates
HEADQUARTERS - february 20165

> Knowledge & Talent

Keiko Nishimoto, CMP
Japan Convention Services, Inc.

Ikuko Nishimura, Congres

Meet two of Japan’s PCOs
JCS, champion ofsustainability
On my last day in Japan, I met with Keiko Nishimoto, CMP, Senior
Consultant at Japan Convention Services (JCS), one of the leading
professional congress organisers Japan. Since its establishment in
1967, the company has supported more than 8,000 international
conferences and events held in Japan and has now 265 professionals in 10 offices across the country. JCS for instance managed
COP10 as well as the APEC Leaders Week in 2010, and recently
supported the bidding process for the 2020 Olympics, whilealready working on its legacy.
As the only ISO20121-certified PCO in Japan, a special standard
for event management systems, JCS, Nishimoto stressed, alreadyheads into the future, and is committed to fulfilling its corporatesocial responsibility, while conducting environmentally conscious
management.
“We are constantly focusing on continuous education, with CMP
certified staff, and make sure we deliver events of international standards. Japan is a great place to organise meetings: we are highly
hospitable and dedicated and for associations looking to expand
their membership, it’s an ideal place to start”, Nishimoto said.
Recently, Nishimoto was elected as a Deputy Chair/Treasurer of
ICCA Asia Pacific Chapter (2015-2019).
www.jcs-pco.com

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Congrès,straight-forward
efficiency
A major player both in the organisation of congresses and the
management of venues (they manage 12 convention facilities across Japan), Congrès, also known by its corporate name
Congress Corporation, provides a comprehensive range of convention-related services.
The PCO for the IMF/World Bank Group Annual Meetings in Tokyo
back in 2012, as well as the 2008 G8 Summit and related ministerial meetings and COP10, it has years of experience operatinglarge-scale international conventions. A leader in meeting technology, they design IT systems and provide consulting services,from concept-making to onsite operation.
Ikuko Nishimura, Chief Project Coordinator, put it like this: “Ourcredentials say it all: since our creation in 1990, we have built trust
on some solid achievements of ours. Of course, it helps that Japan issuch a great association destination, known for its hospitality, personality, cleanliness, safety… and punctuality. The country provides
also a wide range of options for pre- or post-conference tours and, as
a company, we assist our clients every step of the way.”www.congre.com

Fast> Sendaifacts

Sendai,Sendaia green knowledgable city
Located just 90 minutes away from
Tokyo by Shinkansen, Sendai, with its
1.08 million inhabitants, is an emerging
association destination, mostly thanks to
its universities which are instrumental ingetting conventions to the city.
Nicknamed “the City of Trees” because ofits beautiful natural surroundings, Sendai
was founded 400 years ago and is now
a metropolis boasting all the meeting
infrastructure you can expect in such a
destination - but at prices significantly
lower than in Yokohama or Tokyo for
example.
After the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake
and the following tsunami that left a goodpart of Sendai’s urban spaces damaged,
the city took the opportunity to develop a
new model for disaster risk reduction andgreen city planning. Willing to share thisexpertise with the world, Sendai hosted
the 2015 UN World Conference on Disaster
Risk Reduction, attracting 6,500 delegatesfrom 187 countries, the largest conference
the city ever saw, showing its capacities toorganise large-scale events.

Promoting the knowledge to be foundin its 16 universities - including Nobelprize winner producer Tohoku - is what
Sendai now aims to do. Akira Watanabe,
Chairperson at Sendai Tourism Convention
and International Association, explains:“The future of meetings in Sendai lies in
its ‘internationalisation’. We have to use
our knowledge-base economy to attract
conferences related to the city’s many fields
of expertise and we closely work with ouruniversities and research institutions in thisdirection.”
As to meeting facilities of interest to
association planners, let’s mention Sendai
International Centre, whose main hallseats 1,000, and which just opened a
3,000 sqm Exhibition Building. Tohoku
University Centennial Hall also seats up to
1,235 people. In terms of accommodation,
there will be 1,000 new hotel rooms in theupcoming years, in addition to the alreadyexisting 15,000 ones. There are also 9 directinternational flights to Sendai, mostly toand from Asia, making accessibility very
easy.

Shokeikaku

ONLY IN SENDAI
Shokeikaku: A beautiful two-storey wooden
bungalow, the former residence of the Date family who ruled Sendai throughout 13 generations
can host private functions.
Tasty specialty: Sendai is the birthplace of thebeef tongue dish, which is usually served niceand juicy.
Akiu Onsen: Sendai’s hot springs area is locatedabout 30 minutes away from the city centre andoffers a unique opportunity to relax after a hard
day’s work at a conference. Try either Akiu Onsen,
one of the three royal hot springs, or Sakunami
Onsen, complete with an outstanding temple.
Tohoku University (Sendai): Located within
Tohoku University, TOKYO ELECTRON House of
Creativity includes the Tohoku Forum for Creativity(TFC), an international visitor programme thatbrings together Nobel laureates and other worldleading professors with young researchers andstudents.The aim is to identify important problems
across all sciences and humanities, and to develop
innovative ideas through focused discussions. As
Director Sadayoshi Ito says: “We believe that suchinteraction will lead to intellectual break-throughthat will contribute to solving the common problemsof human society.” The House of Creativity also
includes a number of meeting rooms, which canaccommodate from 8 to 96 people.

UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction,
March 2015
HEADQUARTERS - february 2016

7

> Nagoya & vicinity

Nagoya & Aichi Prefecture
Where modernity meets tradition

Located in the heart of Japan, Aichi, with its
capital Nagoya, has seen over the years several industries flourishing, as well as art andculture. It is also blessed with some beautiful nature. Aichi and Nagoya are where
new ideas are born everyday, thanks to its
strengths both in academia and industry.

Nagoya Noh Theater

Acting as a corridor between the east, west,
north and south of Japan, Aichi has been apivotal point for traffic and trade, and has
developed a base for many different industries for centuries. The major fields of expertise of the prefecture include ceramics in Seto
and Tokoname, automobile manufacturingin Toyota – the headquarters of Toyota Motor

Corporation, along many Toyota group companies, employs a lot of people in the region,
which is also becoming a centre for the aerospace industry.
With over two million inhabitants, the centreof politics, economics and culture of Aichi
Prefecture, Nagoya, or “the city of robots” as
it is sometimes referred to, is Japan’s fourthmost populated city. It developed as thecastle town of the Owari, one of the threebranches of the ruling Tokugawa family
during the Edo Period. Much of the city,
including most of its historic buildings, were
unfortunately destroyed during the air raidsof 1945.

Aichi Nagoya Hitsumabushi

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> Nagoya & vicinity

Toyota factory

But Nagoya still boasts a beautiful Castle,
known for its golden pair of “shachis”, or theguardians of the castle, standing proud on
top of its roof, and the formidable Atsuta
Jingu Shrine, rich in a history of 1,900 years.
An industrial hub, Nagoya is also renowned
for its knowledge, with Nagoya University
spearheading the region in many fields ofendeavours and conducting world-leading
research supported by R&D investment
from local enterprises. The University has
so far produced 6 Nobel Prize Winners
and is regularly hosting conferences
highlighting its strengths, like the 16th
International Conference on the Science &Application of Nanotubes (NT15, July 2015,
700 participants) or the 15th International
Superconductive Electronics Conference(ISEC 2015, July 2015, 250 participants).
Many other science and technology universities and research centres are dottedthroughout Aichi Prefecture, creating ahighly-developed research and industrial
cluster.
Fumio Hasegawa, President of the Nagoya
Convention & Visitors Bureau, says: “Nagoya
and Aichi have many assets when it comesto hosting association meetings. Good

accessibility, world-class infrastructure,
good quality accommodation, hospitablepeople… But it’s our knowledge that is ouradded value and we have to promote it in aneven stronger way, building, for instance, a
network of professors in every research field,
harnessing our education capabilities andsuch. This way we’ll be able to attract moremeetings and make Nagoya and Aichi a top
MICE destination in Japan and Asia.”
Among many other venues, groups canmeet at Nagoya Congress Centre, aptly
proclaimed a “’forum for Information
Exchange and Communication”. Its Century
Hall seats up to 3,012 people, and altogether, the Centre boasts 29 meeting
spaces, at very competitive rates, with dedicated and very experienced staff. Events fora few hundreds pax can also be organised
at the Toyota Commemorative Museumof Industry and Technology, housedin the historically important red-brickbuilding of the former Toyota Spinning &Weaving Co. Ltd. where it all began. Toyota
Automobile Museum is also an option
worth considering, should you want to
dig deeper into the history of famous car
brands from all over the world!

Unique in Nagoya and Aichi
Venues: Nagoya Noh Theater is among Japan’s largest, seating 630, and is available togroups for conferences or events. Mizkan Museum, in Handa, explores the history ofvinegar production. Don’t miss, there, the 20-meter long wooden ship modelled fromthe Edo period delivery ship! Next door, there is also the Sake no Bunkakan Museum
where you can learn all about Japan’s most famous beverage.
Food: Known as ‘Nagoya-meshi, the food include specialties such as hitsumabushi(grilled eel on rice) or miso katsu (pork cutlet with a thick miso sauce).
Garden: Tokugawaen is a beautiful Japanese landscape garden with a large pond at its
center. A large network of walking trails lead around the grounds to a tea house, resthouses, and across several bridges.

CASE STUDYWorld Conference on Educationfor Sustainable Development
The 2014 Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) World Conference took place,with some participants 1,091 from 153
countries and regions, at Nagoya Congress
Centre, 10-12 November 2014, and left alasting legacy.
The 2014 UNESCO World Conference on
Education for Sustainable Development(ESD) marked the end of the UN Decade ofESD (2005-2014) and launched the Global
Action Programme (GAP) on ESD. On thatoccasion, UN Secretary-General Ban KiMoon declared: “Environmental, economic
and social indicators tell us that our current
model of progress is unsustainable. Ours is aworld of looming challenges and increasingly
limited resources. Sustainable development
offers the best chance to adjust our course.”
Under the banner of “Learning Today fora Sustainable Future”, the Conferencecelebrated the achievements of the Decade,identified lessons learnt while setting thestage for the future of ESD. It also highlighted the role of ESD for the transition
to green economies and societies and as acatalyst for cross-sector planning and implementation of programmes in areas suchas climate change, biodiversity and disasterrisk reduction.

World Conference on Educationfor Sustainable
Development
HEADQUARTERS- february
2016 9

> KobeKobe open to the world
Japan’s first convention city, back in 1981
when the first purpose-built convention
centre saw the light of day, Kobe - home to
the world-famous Kobe beef - has become
over the years a leader in the hosting of MICE
events, providing an ideal environment for
associations, especially in the medical field.

Arima Grand Hotel

The famous Kobe beef

Kobe Tetsujin

Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster

Kobe was one of the first Japanese cities toopen to the world, with the opening of its port
in 1868. Since then, the lifestyles and culturesof various countries have been thoroughly
integrated into the neighbourhoods, creating avery unique environment, both very Japaneseand very international. As a MICE destination,in 2013 chosen by Japan Tourism Agency to bea ‘Global MICE Strategic City’, it boasts all theknowledge and infrastructure you can expect ina metropolis.

Last but not least, Kobe is a major player in thebiomedical field and aims to enhance the links
between the industry and convention promotion, leveraging its strengths. Currently stateof-the art research institutions, highly specialized hospitals, and more than 300 biomedical
companies shape up the Kobe Biomedical
Innovation Cluster, the largest in Japan. In
2014, the world’s first transplant using induced
pluripotent stem cells (iPS) took place here.
Such breakthrough science has led Kobe City tofocus particular attention on hosting medical
conventions.

UPCOMING MAJOR CONVENTIONSIN KOBE(1,000 participants or more)

Kobe has some extraordinary feats of engineering including artificial islands. One of these, Port
Island (about 10 minutes from the city center andKobe Airport) is home to the Kobe International
Conference Center, Kobe International
Exhibition Hall and a convention hotel. Such aside-by-side grouping of MICE facilities is rare in
Japan. Planners are spoilt for choice.

2016: 32nd World Congress of theInternational Federation of Biomedical
Laboratory Science (IFBLS) - 1,000 pax

As one of Japan’s greatest sake producing
areas, Kobe includes sake breweries as uniquevenues. Another related to ancient crafts is the
Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum where
Japan’s architectural traditions are all exhibited
under one roof. Kobe is also home to one ofJapan’s three ancient hot springs retreats Arima. Convention-goers can soak away weary
feet in the healing waters.
Arima Grand Hotel offers an authentic ‘ryokan’inn experience as well as function areas formeetings- I was lucky enough to stay there.

2018: OCEANS’18 MTS/IEEE Kobe/
Techno-Ocean2018 - 10,000 pax

2017: 39th General Assembly of
the International Association ofSeismology and Physics of the Earth’s
Interior - 1,000 pax

2019: International Society ofPhysical and Rehabilitation Medicine(ISPRM2019) - 5,000 pax
2019: International Society for
Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO2019) 5,000 pax

> In Japan only

In Japanonly

DarumaGaining insight into
Japan’s culture

UNIQUE VENUESA CASTLE, A MUSEUM AND
A GARDEN

Japan’s culture is unique. Whether its food,its customs or its extreme sense of hospitality, the country will enthrall the most blasé
visitors.

Nijo-jo Castle (Kyoto): Oneof Kyoto’s most popular sights
shows the power that the
Shoguns wielded over theemperors throughout the Edo
Period. Known for its squeaky
floors that would alert occupants to the presence of intruders, it is now available as a venue
for up to 1,000 people.

Japan has a fascinating and multifaceted culture;on the one hand it is steeped in the deepestof traditions dating back thousands of years;
on the other it is a society in a constant stateof rapid flux, with continually shifting fads andfashions and technological development that isalways trying to push back the boundaries of thepossible.

Sendai City Museum: Sendai
City Museum was opened at theruin of Sendai Castle San-nomaru to preserve, exhibit andstudy the materials donated by
the Date family, once the lordof the castle. It has a total floorarea of 10,800 square metersand houses about 90,000 materials of history, culture, and artsand crafts related to the Sendai
Domain centering on the Edo
period including the donatedmaterials.

When it comes to food, many towns and cities
in Japan are known first and foremost for theirlocal speciality, whether for a type of sweet, fish,
noodle, seaweed or tofu, etc. The emphasis ison freshness, quality and presentation, from themost refined sushi to steaming ramen noddles
served in a bowl. Japan is very proud of its fourvery distinctive seasons and each of them marks
the beginning of delicious offerings. This is very
evident in supermarkets, hotels and inns and restaurants where menus are frequently changed.
As to the cleanliness and safety of Japan, it isdefinitely not a myth, quite the contrary. Japan’s
safety record (it boasts one of the lowest crime
rates in the world) and well-maintained urban
infrastructure give planners and delegatescomplete peace of mind when organising an
event there. Add to this, the renowned Japanesespirit of hospitality and you’ll have a winningcombination.
Japan is definitely yours to discover, with somuch to offer.

Nijo-jo Castle

Happo-en (Tokyo): Meaning‘Garden of Eight Views’ or ‘beautiful from all views’, this beautiful
garden is a haven not far fromthe centre of the Japanese capital that can be used for wedding
receptions and formal dinners.
Take a stroll among the many
bonsais and you’ll immediately
feel like a real Japanese!
HEADQUARTERS - february 2016

11

YOUR PARTNERS IN JAPANAICHIKen Fujita
Assistant Director
International Tourism and Convention
Division
Tourism Bureau
Aichi Prefectural Government
T +81 52 954 6373
kokusai-kanko@pref.aichi.lg.jp
www.pref.aichi.jp

SENDAI

Yumiko Nakao
Manager
Sendai Tourism, Convention
and International Association
T +81 22 268 9603
conv@sentia-sendai.jp
www.sentia-sendai.jp

KOBE

Atsushi Okada
Director, Convention
Promotion & Marketing
Kobe Convention & Visitors
Association
T +81 78 303 0090
atsushi_okada@kcva.or.jp
www.kobe-convention.jp

Japan National Tourism Organization HQ
T. +81 3 3216 29 05
convention@jnto.go.jp
www.japanmeetings.org

UK & Europe
Margaret Mann
Conventions Manager – London Office
T. +44 (0)20 7283 2130
margaret@jnto.co.uk
www.seejapan.co.uk

USA
Dana Galbreath
Conventions Manager – New York Office
T. +1 (212) 757 5640
dana@jntonyc.org
www.us.jnto.go.jp

NAGOYA

Kiyoshi Jinno
Manager, Convention Marketing
Nagoya Convention &Visitors Bureau
T + 81 52 202 1146
convention@ncvb.or.jp
www.nagoya-info.jp