Disaster-hit prefectures promote tourism in Taiwan

Disaster-hit prefectures in northeastern Japan are promoting themselves in Taiwan as safe and ready to welcome back tourists.

The six prefectures are taking part in a major tourism event that opened in Taipei on Friday. More than 60 countries and territories are featured in the four-day event. Japan is hosting a record-high 100 booths.

The prefectures raised a banner thanking Taiwan for donating 18-billion yen, or over 230-million dollars, after the March quake and tsunami.

They also displayed photos of local festivals and tourist spots, including Iwate Prefecture's Hiraizumi district, which was designated as a World Heritage Site this year.

Taiwanese at the event said they feel reassured that tourist spots in the prefectures have fully recovered, with no more effects from the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

A Japanese official said the prefectures hope to promote their recovery and win back tourists this winter.

Before the disaster, Taiwan was the third-biggest source of visitors to Japan, after South Korea and China, at about 1.2 million people per year. But the number fell by an estimated 27 percent in the first nine months of this year.

Friday, November 11, 2011 18:22 +0900 (JST)