Hosting Conferences in Unique Venues Gaining Attention in Japan

Tokyo, May 1 (Jiji Press)--A move to hold international conferences and receptions at galleries, museums, gardens, shrines, temples and other facilities that usually do not host such events is gaining attention in Japan. As historical buildings and cultural facilities give visitors a feeling of specialness and present unique local characteristics, events at such venues are popular among foreigners on business trips to Japan. In May last year, a reception welcoming female politicians and businesswomen attending the Global Summit of Women was held at the State Guest House in Tokyo's Minato Ward, also known as the Akasaka Palace. Japan built the neo-Baroque building in 1909, during the Meiji era, utilizing top-level artistic and craft skills available at that time. In the reception, the entire building was lit up and a drum performance was staged. The reception received favorable reviews from participants, people familiar with the matter said. Utilizing local facilities with unique appeals for international events "contributes to enhancing the attractiveness of the hosts," said Kazuko Toda, a senior official of the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau, a public-profit organization that provides support to entities hoping to bring international conferences to Tokyo. Presentations featuring such facilities as venues are "very effective" when bidding to host international conferences, Toda also said. The organization hopes to find more facilities and spaces good for such events to broaden the choices of venues ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, which are expected to boost the number of foreign visitors to Japan. The Japan Tourism Agency also hopes to promote the use of historical and other facilities with unique features as conference venues in fiscal 2018, which began last month. For the purpose, the agency launched a subsidy program to help municipal governments and relevant local organizations, such as event planners, build their networks and host conferences and receptions. END