Travel Bans Turn ‘Cool Japan’ Into ‘Cruel Japan’

Above, the Tokyo Skytree under construction behind the Asahi Beer Hall in 2010. Photo by Armand Vaquer,

Japan has been closed off to tourists for nearly two years. Others, such as students, are in limbo. They may have visas, but they still are having difficulty being allowed in.

Despite closing off the country, COVID-19 and its Omicron variant still managed to enter the country.

Because of the measures taken by the Japanese government, Japan's reputation has been tarnished. Asia Times has an article on this. The once "Cool Japan" is now known as something vastly different.

They begin it with:

TOKYO – In recent years, Japan has promoted itself as “Cool Japan,” seeking to lure tourists with its futuristic trappings, its appealing traditional culture and the modern draws of manga, anime and a more general warm, fuzzy cuteness.

However, after two years of essentially closing the doors on foreigners seeking to enter the country, while keeping students, resident workers and spouses hanging in limbo, that image has changed.

Behold the new brand: “Cruel Japan.”

Japan’s staunch, pro-business newspaper the Nikkei has been reporting on the damage the travel ban has done to Japan’s reputation and soft power globally. An article published on February 11 referred to the world’s third-largest economy as 残酷日本, or Cruel Japan.

To read more, go here. 

Official "Cool Japan" Ambassadors To Be Named

Above, the Godzilla statue in Hibiya, Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan is continuing to come up with more promotional ideas for attracting foreign visitors as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics gets closer.

The latest is from The Japan News (Yomiuri Shimbun):

So-called Japan connoisseurs overseas will be included on the Cabinet Secretariat’s list of those to be named official goodwill ambassadors as a way to help disseminate Japanese culture to the world under the new “Cool Japan” strategy plan. 

The Cool Japan Promotion Council approved the plan on Wednesday. 

The government and private sector jointly put forward the strategy to promote prominent Japanese cultural items and services such as fashion, food and local brands outside Japan. It is likely to later include the plan in its growth strategy.

Maybe this time, Godzilla will be included as one of Japan's "cultural items" in the promotion. Only time will tell.

To read more, go here. 

"Is Japan Cool?" - All Nippon Airways Asks In Sweepstakes

Above, some of the topics viewers can vote on.

All Nippon Airways is asking, "Is Japan cool?"

According to an article in MediaPost:

All Nippon Airways is launching an updated website and a sweepstakes linked to the question “Is Japan Cool?” 

The interactive Web site offers a multimedia portal into the weird and wonderful world of Japan. 

Users can learn about the cultural traditions and local attractions that are unique to Japanese destinations. Visitors can vote on whether they think different topics are “cool” or “not so cool,” leave comments, or share their thoughts via social media.

To read more, go here. 

Cool Japan Project Launches New Website: 100 Tokyo

Above, the Wako Dept. Store in Ginza. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There's a website, 100 Tokyo, that people thinking about visiting Japan should check out.

Here's part of what Japan Today wrote about it:

TOKYO —The Cool Japan project has launched a new website that introduces unique products, events and places in Tokyo and all over Japan. It covers design, fashion, art, food, technology, architecture, tourist attractions, accommodation, events and more. 

100 Tokyo has useful features like maps and a bookmark function to enhance convenience for tourists planning a visit. Additionally, using social media such as Google+, 100 Tokyo gathers photos with the hash tag #100Tokyo, creating an instant snapshot of the here and now.

The article goes on to list the features of 100 Tokyo such as "What's Hot In Tokyo," "Tokyo Spots Selected By Celebrities" and "Convenient Features."

To read more, go here.

"Cool Japan" Supported By Prime Minister Abe

Above, Astro Boy is featured at a Niigata ATM.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The tourism campaign promoting "Cool Japan" has received the blessing and support of the Prime Minister.

According to the Japan Daily Press:

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is eager to get the ‘Cool Japan’ concept going, as the government held the first council meeting for its promotion on March 4. The concept aims to develop Japan’s uniqueness in terms of anime, fashion and other cultural traditions abroad, effectively increasing exports of these products. This is in line with one of Abe’s key policy measure to nurture related industries and transform them into major export businesses.

So far, I've seen nothing to indicate that kaiju will be a part of the "Cool Japan" campaign.

To read the full article, go here.