Promoting tourism and local foods in Fukushima

October 21, 2016

Fukushima officials luring tourists from Australia

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20161021_34/

Government and businesspeople from Japan's Fukushima Prefecture are in Australia to promote tourism and specialty foods from the region.

About 60 people attended a tourism seminar in Sydney on Friday. The event is the first of its kind to be held by Fukushima in Australia.

Officials of the prefecture's government and businesses introduced world-class skiing sites and other Fukushima attractions that are popular with overseas visitors.

Participants had a chance to try local specialties including sake and ramen.

One participant said he didn't know Fukushima was such a great place to visit, and expressed hope to go there.

Tourism officials say the number of foreign visitors has not returned to levels before the 2011 earthquake and nuclear crisis.

But Fukushima is becoming a popular destination for Australians. Last year about 1,500 visited -- nearly 4 times the pre-disaster level.