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Tokyo 2016 today threw its support behind the new Japan Tourism Agency and its ambitious drive to encourage 20 million foreign visitors to Japan by 2020. The government-backed Agency, which was launched today, will implement a broad range of activities both domestically and internationally to build on the growing popularity of Japan as a tourist destination.

The new organisation will create dedicated tourist information centres for foreigners and will instigate a range of accommodation, transport and infrastructure upgrades in Tokyo and across the rest of Japan. The Japan Tourism Agency aims to facilitate international exchange through tourism – a goal complemented by Tokyo 2016’s ‘Musubi Promise’ which aims to connect Japan’s vibrant capital city with the rest of the world through a shared passion for sport that unites all people.

Tokyo – with its many, varied cultural treasures – each year attracts millions of foreign tourists who come to sample the cutting edge fashion and style of the Harajuku district, the impressive Tokyo Opera City and the many other tourist attractions in Japan's capital. The Ueno district of Tokyo perfectly demonstrates Tokyo 2016's Bid commitment to "Uniting Our Worlds" with its many museums and art galleries uniting East with West, modern with traditional, and the City with the Environment.

The creation of the Japan Tourism Agency is consistent with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s sweeping ten-year master plan – ‘Tokyo’s Big Change’ – to transform the city into a model for sustainable urban development in the 21st Century. The plan will elevate Tokyo to a must-see tourist hotspot as the city bids to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games at its heart.

By 2016, Tokyo will boast an additional 1,000 hectares of new greenery, establishing a harmony between urban living and the natural environment. Under an unprecedented Olympic plan, 95% of all venues will be housed within a convenient eight km radius of the city centre – giving athletes, the Olympic Family and visitors remarkably easy access to impressive landmarks and a wide variety of restaurants, shops and cultural icons.

Reaffirming the Government’s commitment to invest in the tourism industry, Dr Ichiro Kono, Chairman and CEO of Tokyo 2016, said:

“As our Bid to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games gains momentum, we are delighted that the launch of a dedicated Tourism Agency will enable the world to better appreciate and experience Japan’s rich history and culture, which are precious treasures of human civilisation. We are passionate about our country and what it has to offer, and we also recognise the power of the Olympic Games to transform cities and nations. We are committed to working with the various government bodies to deliver the world’s greatest metropolitan makeover in preparation for the 2016 Games, and establishing Japan as an eclectic, must-visit destination on the world map.”