Japan sees meetings business on increase

By Lucia Tangi Tokyo Despite the worldwide economic slowdown and the strong yen, Japan has attracted more international meetings during the past fiscal year ending March 2000, according to the Japan Convention Bureau (JCB). The total number of conventions in Japan last year was 2,415, up 2.5% from 2,415 in fiscal 1998. The total number of local attendees in Japan international meetings last year, however, dropped to 955,230 from 1.125 million the previous year. Overseas participants to conventions dropped to 73,874 from 88,322 the previous fiscal year. JCB general manager for public relations Mr Koichi Sogabe said the number of conventions in Japan had been increasing over the past decade and that trend had continued last year. "It is encouraging that more meeting planners and association executives who visit form a positive image of Japan as their convention destination," Mr Sogabe said. "Seeing is believing. We rely on them a lot although we never count our chickens before they are hatched." Mr Sogabe admitted the overall economic recession has had an unfavourable impact on the health of the conventions market in Japan. "But we hope a positive growth will be recorded for this year as well," he said.