February 2008

Martin Barrow, former Vice-Chairman of the Japan Society, was recently appointed by Japan��s Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism as ��Yokoso! Japan�� Ambassador. (��Yokoso�� means ��welcome�� in Japanese.)

Japan is currently embarked upon the ��Visit Japan Campaign�� as part of its efforts to achieve the goal of attracting an annual total of 10 million tourists to the country by 2010. The Government of Japan has appointed 17 people, both Japanese and foreign nationals, in line with its wish to commend those people who, in Japan and elsewhere, have striven to attract tourists to Japan, to strengthen the links binding those people and to add momentum to the Visit Japan Campaign.

Mr Barrow first visited Japan as a student backpacker and stayed there for six weeks. In the 1970s he spent seven years working in Japan, during which time he developed a deep and abiding affection for the country. Since his retirement, Mr Barrow has devoted himself to promoting Japan-UK exchange through his service as Vice-Chairman of the Japan Society and in other ways. Furthermore, as a core member of the Visit Japan Campaign Promotion Committee in the UK, he has provided forthright advice on how to move the campaign forward in this country. In addition, he has contributed greatly to efforts to attract tourists to Japan through suggestions made to the JNTO Headquarters during visits to Japan in recent years and through his public relations activities in writing.