Tottori flies after foreign investment with Tokyo event

Around 100 guests including ambassadors, trade representatives, business leaders and media gathered at the Happo-En event venue last week for "An Evening with Tottori” as part of the local government’s efforts to facilitate foreign investment across various industries in the prefecture.

In attendance were the governor of Tottori, Shinji Hirai, the ambassador of New Zealand to Japan, Stephen Payton, the ambassador of Jamaica to Japan, C.P. Ricardo Allicock, and the Principal Hong Kong Economic and Trade Representative, Shirley Yung, who each delivered speeches with a promise to strengthen political and economic ties with Tottori.

In particular, Allicock cited Jamaica's close diplomatic ties with the prefecture, underpinned by the twinning of the country’s eighth largest parish, Westmoreland, with Tottori. The Fuse Sports Park was also the training ground for the Jamaican track and field team in 2007 and 2015.

Speaking at the event, Governor Hirai said that Tottori was eager to foster relationships with foreign enterprises in Japan, offering to provide guests from Japan and overseas with tours of the prefecture’s sightseeing highlights.

The name Tottori, whose kanji is derived from tori 鳥 "bird" and toru 取 "to get," is Japan’s least populated prefecture, with most of its inhabitants clustered along the coast of the Sea of Japan. The famous sand dunes are Tottori’s biggest draw for tourists, though travelers are starting to take notice of the outdoor opportunities offered by its diverse natural landscape, including Mt Daisen and the Uradome coast. Tottori is also the birthplace of several authors of popular manga, including Gosho Aoyama who wrote and illustrated the world's best-selling series “Detective Conan.” Flights to Tottori’s two airports expanded recently with a new direct flight from Hong Kong to Tottori, launched September last year.

Guests first came together to witness the premiere of a new short film by cinematographer Conan Morimoto that highlights the natural beauty of the region over a single day. See a preview of the film above on YouTube.

The film was followed by dinner and drinks featuring Tottori specialities, including the prefecture’s prize-winning wagyu, this year named the best beef in Japan.

Kieron Cashell, general manager of GPlus Media which helped organize the event, said that the evening had been a fantastic chance for guests to learn, experience and connect with Tottori Prefecture.

”Tottori offers a wealth of possibilities for trade and investment, and it’s encouraging to see the local government’s enthusiasm for welcoming foreign business. It’s been a pleasure to co-host this event and we look forward to more in the future,” he said.

© Japan Today