Exclusive Interview: Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner Shigeki Murata on India–Japan Tourism Cooperation
- Peeush Srivastava
- 59 minutes ago
- 9 min read
Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner Shigeki Murata speaks exclusively to JapanCalling.in on India's growing tourism potential, regional destinations, sustainable tourism, digital innovation, air connectivity and the future of India–Japan tourism cooperation.
As India and Japan continue to deepen their Special Strategic and Global Partnership, tourism has emerged as one of the most powerful drivers of economic cooperation, regional development, and people-to-people connectivity. While iconic destinations such as Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka remain popular among international visitors, Japan is now actively encouraging travelers to explore its diverse regional landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and immersive local experiences.
In this exclusive interview with JapanCalling.in, Shigeki Murata, Commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA), outlines Japan's evolving tourism strategy, its vision for attracting more Indian visitors, the role of technology and sustainability in shaping future tourism, and the growing opportunities for stronger India–Japan tourism cooperation.
From regional tourism and direct air connectivity to cultural diplomacy, anime tourism, digital transformation, and the future of sustainable travel, Commissioner Murata shares valuable insights into how Japan is redefining tourism beyond its major cities while strengthening bilateral ties with India.
Excerpts from an exclusive interview with Shigeki Murata Commissioner, Japan Tourism Agency (JTA), Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Government of Japan
Q. What are the key priorities of the Japan Tourism Agency in attracting more international visitors, particularly from high-growth and emerging markets such as India?
Commissioner Murata:
The Japan Tourism Agency positions tourism as a strategic industry that will drive the development of regional economies and the Japanese economy and is working to attract inbound visitors strategically based on the Tourism Nation Promotion Basic Plan. In addition to increasing the number of foreign visitors to Japan, we are also focusing on increasing spending by foreign visitors and promoting visits to regional areas, aiming to increase the number of repeat visitors who have a strong desire to visit regional areas.
Regarding India, it is a market with significant future potential in terms of economic growth and population size, but it is also characterized by the fact that relatively few people have visited Japan so far. Therefore, in order to expand the number of first-time visitors to Japan, we are working to enhance tourism content that meets diverse travel needs and are also implementing strategic promotional activities to establish Japan's brand as a travel destination. Furthermore, we are working to improve visitor satisfaction and increase spending by promoting the development of a visitor reception environment that accommodates diverse dietary habits and cultural customs.
Q. Tourism has become an important pillar of India–Japan people-to-people relations. How can both countries further deepen tourism cooperation in the years ahead? What opportunities exist for collaboration among travel agencies, airlines, tourism boards, local governments, and private-sector stakeholders?
Commissioner Murata:
Tourism is an important pillar of people-to-people exchanges between India and Japan. In 2025, approximately 320,000 Indians visited Japan, and approximately 220,000 Japanese visited India, bringing the total number of people traveling between the two countries to a record high of approximately 540,000. To further expand this mutual exchange, Japan Tourism Agency co-hosts the Japan-India Tourism Council with the Ministry of Tourism of India, and I myself serve as the Japanese representative. In this council, not only government officials but also members of the tourism industry participate, and cooperation among stakeholders is strengthened through exchanges of views and the sharing of issues related to tourism policies between the two countries.
Regarding the expansion of inbound tourism to Japan, we are conducting strategic promotional activities to attract visitors to Japan and developing travel products. Regarding the expansion of outbound tourism to India, we are promoting overseas educational travel, substantially reducing passport fees from July 1, and showcasing the attractions of various countries through travel fairs such as "Tourism EXPO Japan," Japan's largest tourism trade fair held every September.
Through these initiatives, we aim to achieve balanced people-to-people exchanges between our two countries, further revitalize mutual visits, and deepen mutual understanding and trust between our two nations.
Q. While many Indian travelers are familiar with destinations such as Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, Japan offers a wealth of experiences beyond the traditional tourist circuit. Which lesser-known destinations or regions would you recommend to Indian travelers seeking authentic and unique experiences?
Commissioner Murata:
Japan has 47 prefectures, each with its own unique attractions, including nature, history, culture, and food. For example, these could include nature experiences centered on national parks with rich natural environments, visits to traditional townscapes and historical sites, participation in traditional crafts and events, and experiences of local food culture using local ingredients. I sincerely hope Indian travelers will experience the diverse appeal of various regions throughout Japan.
The Japan Tourism Agency aims to promote visits to regional areas by supporting the development and enhancement of tourism content that utilizes these local resources, thereby improving the satisfaction of foreign visitors to Japan and increasing their spending.
For specific travel destinations, please visit the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) website linked below. For example, we introduce recommended tourist destinations in multiple languages, categorized by areas of interest such as nature, outdoor activities, traditional culture, Japanese food, art, and relaxation.
Travel Japan - Japan National Tourism Organization (Official Site)
Welcome to Japan. Unforgettable. | Travel Japan（Japan National Tourism Organization）
Q. Air connectivity remains a key driver of tourism growth. Do you foresee opportunities for expanding direct air links between Japan and additional Indian cities in the near future?
Commissioner Murata:
Since Japan is an island nation, most foreign tourists visiting Japan use air travel. For this reason, maintaining and expanding air connectivity is essential for attracting foreign tourists. Flights between India and Japan have been increasing compared to last year, and we hope this trend will continue.
The Japan Tourism Agency believes that expanding direct flights connecting not only major city airports but also regional airports with overseas destinations is important from the perspective of attracting tourists to regional areas. For this reason, in order to expand international flight networks across regions as a whole and promote two-way exchanges, we plan to launch a project this fiscal year to support the costs incurred when regional airports work together to attract scheduled and charter flights.
Q. Sustainable tourism has become a global priority. How is Japan balancing tourism growth with environmental sustainability, cultural preservation, and community well-being? Are there lessons from Japan’s experience that could be valuable for India’s tourism sector?
Commissioner Murata:
Japan also places importance on sustainable tourism, and in the "Tourism Nation Promotion Basic Plan," which outlines the future direction of tourism policy, one of the pillars of our policies is to balance the strategic attraction of inbound visitors with ensuring the quality of life for residents.
As for specific initiatives, we are addressing individual issues such as congestion and breaches of etiquette that occur locally and regionally. For example, we are promoting early morning and late-night experiences at cultural properties, measures for alleviating traffic congestion on local roads, and visitor access management at the local level.
In addition, in order to enhance the appeal of regional tourist destinations, we believe it is important, for example, for local communities to take the lead in developing tourist destinations. Centered on organizations such as Destination Management/Marketing Organizations (DMOs), we are promoting community development aimed at creating places that are “good to live in and good to visit.” On that basis, we are also focusing on attracting visitors to these attractive regional areas.
With regard to cultural and natural resources found throughout Japan, we place importance not only on utilizing them for tourism but also on passing them on to the next generation while ensuring their conservation.
I understand that India has a variety of tourism resources throughout the country, and I believe that the key to sustainable tourism lies in refining these resources, promoting tourism management led by local communities, addressing local and regional challenges through measures such as dispersing tourists, and striking a balance between the preservation and utilization of culture and nature.
Q. Japan is renowned for integrating technology into everyday life. How is technology transforming the visitor experience in Japan, and what role do AI, digital platforms, smart mobility, and digital services play in Japan’s tourism strategy?
Commissioner Murata:
We place great importance on the use of technology in the tourism sector, believing that it will not only improve convenience but also lead to an improvement in the quality of tourism and ensure sustainability.
For example, we are promoting the visualization of congestion and guiding tourists to less crowded routes by utilizing ICT such as digital maps to provide live streaming from congested areas, publishing congestion forecasts, introducing model routes, and conducting digital stamp rallies. These initiatives are important not only for improving tourist satisfaction but also for improving the quality of life for local residents.
Furthermore, in order to attract foreign tourists to regional areas and increase their spending, we are working to promote stress-free tourism by encouraging the introduction of a variety of cashless payment methods that suit different uses and needs, such as cards, electronic money, and smartphone payments, and by ensuring the necessary communication environment.
Furthermore, by promoting Mobility as a Service (MaaS), which enables a wide variety of mobility services to be used as a single service through cooperation and collaboration among transportation operators and tourism content providers, we are improving accessibility to tourist destinations and promoting visits to regional areas as well as the securing of transportation options for tourists.
In addition, by promoting digital transformation in the tourism sector while utilizing advanced technologies, we aim to improve convenience for travelers, encourage them to explore different areas, increase productivity in the tourism industry, and enhance the management of tourist destinations.
Based on these initiatives in Japan, I believe it is important to use technology not merely as a means of improving convenience, but as a foundation for achieving sustainable tourism, coexistence with local communities, and improvements in the quality of the tourism experience.
Q. Japanese culture—from anime and manga to traditional arts, heritage, cuisine, and festivals—enjoys immense popularity in India. How can cultural tourism be leveraged to further strengthen India–Japan relations and deepen mutual understanding?
Commissioner Murata:
Japan possesses diverse cultural attractions, including traditional culture, food culture, festivals, and other regionally rooted cultures, as well as anime and manga. We recognize these as valuable tourism resources that can contribute to attracting Indian visitors to regional areas and expanding tourism consumption.
We believe that for people in India who have a strong interest in Japanese culture, we can deepen their understanding of Japanese society by using anime and manga as an entry point, for example, and connecting them with experiences such as Japanese food, traditional culture, and festivals. Furthermore, promoting these experiential tourism activities and visits to regional areas is crucial for cultivating repeat visitors with a deep understanding of Japanese culture and customs, thereby fostering deeper cultural exchange.
We also believe that mutual understanding will be further enhanced by promoting two-way exchanges, including not only visits to Japan but also visits by Japanese people to India.
In this way, we believe that strategically utilizing cultural tourism as a platform for "experience" and "exchange" will enable the deepening of India-Japan relations and the promotion of sustainable mutual understanding.
Q. Looking ahead, what major trends do you expect to shape the future of tourism in Japan over the next decade? How is Japan preparing for a new generation of travelers seeking immersive, experiential, and sustainable journeys?
Commissioner Murata:
I believe there are three major trends that will shape tourism in Japan over the next 10 years.
First is sustainable tourism. There will be a shift toward tourism that places emphasis on environmental conservation, congestion mitigation, and coexistence with local communities.
Secondly, dispersion to regions and improved experiential value will accelerate the shift from concentration in cities to dispersion to regional areas and from "sightseeing tourism" to "experiential tourism."
Third is higher value-added tourism, with a trend toward placing emphasis not only on increasing volume but also on quality and satisfaction.
Against this backdrop, Japan is developing experiential tourism content that delves deeply into local culture and lifestyles, and is promoting sustainable tourism, aimed at a new generation of travelers. Furthermore, community-led tourism destination development centered around DMOs, as well as improved convenience and dispersal through the use of digital technology, are also important pillars.
Overall, I believe that tourism in Japan is evolving from "quantity to quality" and "seeing to experiencing," moving toward the realization of more immersive and sustainable travel.
Q. Northeast India and several regions of Japan share strengths in nature tourism, cultural heritage, community-based tourism, and sustainable development. Do you see opportunities for greater regional cooperation and tourism exchanges between these areas?
Commissioner Murata:
I believe there is great potential. Northeastern India and regional areas of Japan have common strengths in that they possess various attractions, including rich natural environments and unique cultures and traditions. I believe these similarities can serve as an important foundation for building a relationship of mutual learning that goes beyond the mere movement of tourists. We hope that the foundation for mutual understanding between India and Japan will expand through exchanges and the sharing of knowledge at the regional level.
Q. As India and Japan continue to advance their Special Strategic and Global Partnership, what role can tourism play in fostering deeper people-to-people connections and strengthening mutual understanding between the citizens of both countries?
Commissioner Murata:
Since Prime Minister Modi made his first visit to Japan in September 2014 and the leaders of India and Japan agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a Special Strategic and Global Partnership, tourism exchanges between the two countries have made significant progress. In 2014, the total number of people traveling between the two countries was approximately 310,000, but by 2025, that number reached approximately 540,000. I would like to express my respect once again to all those involved in the relationship between our two countries.
Tourism is a strategic industry that leads economic development, and it also plays an important role in promoting international mutual understanding. I believe that further expanding tourism exchanges between the two countries will help support diplomacy and security from the grassroots level and promote international mutual understanding, thereby building a foundation for peace in the international community.
We will continue to work to expand tourism exchanges, joining hands with stakeholders in both countries, toward the further enhancement of friendly relations between India and Japan.
This interview was conducted by Peeush Srivastava, Managing Editor, JapanCalling.in and EconomicDiplomacy.in as part of the publication's continuing coverage of India–Japan cooperation in tourism, business, innovation, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.