Japan National Tourism Organization

Administrative agency in Japan

International Tourism Promotion Organization

Headquarters4-4-1 Yotsuya Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo 100-0006, JapanEmployeesOfficer 5 (Chairperson 1, Board 4 (including General Director 1), Auditor 2) (As of August 1, 2018). Full-time staff 171 (Secondary employees from countries etc. 22) March 31, 2018.Annual budget95,842,663,54 yen (as of March 31, 2018) ^[1]Parent agencyJapan Tourism AgencyWebsitewww.jnto.go.jp

The Japan National Tourism Organization (国際観光振興機構, Kokusai Kankō Shinkō Kikō), JNTO, provides information about Japan to promote travel to and in the country. It was established in 1964 and its headquarters are in Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo.^[2] The JNTO operates Tourist Information Centers (TICs) as well as a website. It disseminates information about transportation, lodging, food and beverage, and sight-seeing as well as published tourism statistics and market reports. It also provides support for international conventions and incentive events.^[3]

Functions

JNTO is an Independent Administrative Institution of the government of Japan. Its publications and website assist in preparing travel itineraries within Japan, providing a wide range of travel information in English and other languages on transportation, accommodations, shopping and events. The materials are updated frequently.

While traveling in Japan, visitors may take advantage of the nationwide "i" Information System, which numbered 113 outlets in 2004. Each "i" center is an information source for the area it represents. The "i" centers are ordinarily located at railway stations or in city centers, and are easily recognized by their logo, a red question mark with the word "information" printed underneath.

JNTO sponsors a Goodwill Guide Program, through which some 47,000 bilingual volunteers assist visitors from abroad. They earn the right to wear the program's identifying badge, a white pigeon superimposed upon a globe. Throughout Japan, there are 77 Systematized Goodwill Guide groups (SGG) consisting mostly of students, housewives and retirees who engage in a variety of activities using their foreign language skills. Some groups offer a free preset walking tour, for which the visitor only needs to go to a pre-established place at a certain date and time, while others are available to meet tourists on request. There is no charge for the service of the Goodwill Guides, as they are volunteers, only their travel expenses and their admissions to tourist facilities, and for shared meals.

Services of professional guides and interpreters may be retained through the Japan Guide Association or the Japan Federation of Licensed Guides. JNTO administers Licensed Guide Interpreter Examination. A total of some 1,550 licensed guide-interpreters are registered with these organizations, each carrying a registration card issued by the governor of the relevant prefecture.^[4]

Branches

JNTO maintains 26 offices around the world. Overseas offices provide up-to-date information on travel to and within Japan, place publicity in the media and cooperate with journalists, participate in travel fairs and exhibitions, assist the local travel industry in developing tours, and conduct tourism-related research.^[5]

JNTO opened a new office in Stockholm, Sweden on March 4, 2024, due to its agreement on Japanese-Scandinavian corporation. The office in Stockholm reprents also other Scandinavian and Baltic countries.^[6]^[7]


Overseas Office^[8]	Territories in Charge
North and South America
New York	Eastern US, Caribbean, Brazil
Los Angeles	Western US
Toronto	Canada
Mexico City	Mexico, Central America, South America (excluding Brazil)
Europe, Middle East and Africa
Paris	Andorra, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Monaco, French-spoken areas of Switzerland and French-spoken areas of Africa
Frankfurt	Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and German-spoken areas of Switzerland
Rome	Albania, Greece, Italy, Malta, San Marino and Vatican
Stockholm	Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
Madrid	Portugal, Spain and Spanish and Portuguese-spoken areas of Africa
London	Cyprus, Ireland, Kosovo, Israel, Liechtenstein, Netherlands, United Kingdom, English-spoken areas of Africa and Middle East
Moscow (Russia is currently suspended and other countries are currently replaced in London)	Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan
Dubai	UAE, Saudi Arabia, Middle East (excluding Israel), Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia
Asia and Oceania
Sydney	Oceania
Beijing	Northern China, Western China and Mongolia
Hong Kong	Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan
Guangzhou	Southern China
Chengdu	Central China
Shanghai	Eastern China
Seoul	North and South Korea
Delhi	Bhutan, India and Nepal
Jakarta	Indonesia
Kuala Lumpur	Malaysia and Brunei
Singapore	Singapore, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, East Timor and Maldives
Manila	Philippines
Bangkok	Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand
Hanoi	Vietnam

References

^ https://www.jnto.go.jp/jpn/about_us/reports/f_zaimu29.pdf Heisei 29 Fiscal Year Financial Statement International Tourism Promotion Organization
^ "JNTO Offices". www.jnto.go.jp. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
^ "About JNTO". www.jnto.go.jp. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
^ "Guide Services". www.jnto.go.jp. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
^ "About JNTO". www.jnto.go.jp. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
^ "スウェーデンにストックホルム事務所を開設します！". www.jnto.go.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-11.
^ "ストックホルム事務所". www.jnto.go.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-11.
^ "JNTO Offices". www.jnto.go.jp. Retrieved 2018-03-28.

External links

JNTO site in English
Visit Japan Campaign Yokoso! Japan by JNTO
Live Japan Campaign site in English

Incorporated Administrative Agencies in Japan

There are 102 institutions as of April 1, 2012. Bold institutions employ national public servants.

Cabinet Office

National Archives of Japan
ja:Northern Territories Issue Association
ja:National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan

Ministry of
Internal Affairs
and
Communications

National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT)
ja:National Statistics Center
ja:Public Foundation for Peace and Consolation
ja:Management Organization for Postal Savings and Postal Life Insurance

Ministry of
Foreign Affairs

Ministry of
Finance

ja:National Research Institute of Brewing
Japan Mint
National Printing Bureau
Commemorative Organization for the Japan World Exposition '70

Ministry of
Education,
Culture,
Sports,
Science and
Technology

ja:National Institute of Special Education
National Center for University Entrance Examinations
ja:National Institution For Youth Education
ja:National Women's Education Center
National Museum of Nature and Science
National Institute for Materials Science
ja:National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention
ja:National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology
National Institutes for Cultural Heritage
ja:National Institute of Radiological Sciences
ja:National Center for Teachers' Development
Japan Science and Technology Agency
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
RIKEN
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
ja:National Agency for the Advancement of Sports and Health
Japan Arts Council
ja:Japan Student Services Organization
Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
ja:Institute of National Colleges of Technology
National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation
Japan Atomic Energy Agency

Ministry of
Health,
Labour, and
Welfare

ja:National Institute of Health and Nutrition
ja:National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
ja:Organization for Workers Retirement Allowance Mutual Aid
ja:Japan Organization for Employment of the Elderly, Persons with Disabilities and Job
Seekers
ja:Welfare And Medical Service Agency
ja:National Center for Persons with Severe Intellectual Disabilities, Nozominosono
Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training
ja:Japan Labour Health and Welfare Organization
ja:National Hospital Organization
ja:Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Agency
ja:National Institute of Biomedical Innovation
ja:Readjustment of Facilities for Insured Persons and Beneficiaries Organization
Government Pension Investment Fund
ja:National Cancer Center
ja:National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Hospital
ja:National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry
ja:National Center for Global Health and Medicine
ja:National Center for Child Health and Development
ja:National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontrogy