Japanese Government Sponsors Anime Tours

[Ether]

Japan's Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transportation is inviting foreign tourists to an international "Manga Summit" in 2008 in Kyoto. They are also promoting a series of tours in Tokyo's Akihabara and other famous anime sites. Thanks, Jay Navok.

[Ether]

For those of you looking for more information, this is a government bureau giving some info on their plans for the next few years, it's not a company putting out a press release. There's not going to be a lot of info yet. Also, this is a campaign, not necessarily a tour package. It's not the Japanese gov't version of Pop Japan; they're setting up routes for tourists interested in anime and we'll probably see "come visit Japan to see Akihabara"-type promotional material.

What's notable about this is that the Japanese government has seen that foreigners are coming to Japan not just for business or to see temples, but to see and buy anime stuff. We've known that they were promoting the exportation of anime as part of Japan's "soft power," but now they're acknowledging it can bring people, and not just licensing money, to Japan.

[DizzyDi]

Its a conspiracy to take over america with animu.

[HAYABUSA-FMW-]

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j33/reboundkingdr91/shoestore8.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j33/reboundkingdr91/shoestore.jpg

And people go to Japan for the BAPE shoes/gear/wallets/Asia-JP Exclusive shoes still in stock and for like half what people charge over here.

Videogames who? Okay well:

Pachinko Special Edition!(WTFUX?)
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j33/reboundkingdr91/funnyrandompic.jpg