View source for Japan National Tourism Organization

{{Short description|Administrative agency in Japan}}
{{Infobox government agency
|agency_name     = Japan National Tourism Organization
|nativename      = 国際観光振興機構
|nativename_a    = 
|nativename_r    = Kokusai Kankō Shinkō Kikō
|type            = [[Independent Administrative Institution]]
|logo            = JNTO logo.svg
|logo_width      = 230px
|logo_caption    =
|seal            = 
|seal_width      = 
|seal_caption    = 
|picture         = 
|picture_width   = 
|picture_caption = 
|formed          = {{start_date|2003|10|01}}
|date1           = 
|date1_name      =
|date2           =
|date2_name      =
|preceding1      = International Tourism Promotion Organization
|preceding2      = 
|dissolved       =
|superseding     =
|jurisdiction    = 
|headquarters    = 4-4-1 [[Yotsuya]] [[Shinjuku]] Ward, [[Tokyo]] 100-0006, [[Japan]]
|employees       = Officer 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.
|budget          = 95,842,663,54 [[yen]] (as of March 31, 2018) <ref>https://www.jnto.go.jp/jpn/about_us/reports/f_zaimu29.pdf Heisei 29 Fiscal Year Financial Statement International Tourism Promotion Organization</ref>
|parent_agency   = [[Japan Tourism Agency]]
|child1_agency   = 
|child2_agency   = 
|website         = {{URL|http://www.jnto.go.jp}}
|footnotes       =
}}

The {{Nihongo|'''Japan National Tourism Organization''', formerly known and still officially known in Japanese as the '''International Tourism Promotion 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|Shinjuku-ku]], [[Tokyo]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/contact/regional_offices.html|title=JNTO Offices|website=www.jnto.go.jp|language=en|access-date=2018-03-28}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/about/|title=About JNTO|website=www.jnto.go.jp|language=en|access-date=2018-03-28}}</ref>

==Functions==
JNTO is an [[Independent Administrative Institution]] of the [[government of Japan]]. Its [[publication]]s 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 station]]s 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 [[Interpreting|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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/arrange/travel/guide/guideservice.html|title=Guide Services|website=www.jnto.go.jp|language=en|access-date=2018-03-28}}</ref>

==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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/about/|title=About JNTO|website=www.jnto.go.jp|language=en|access-date=2018-03-28}}</ref>

JNTO opened a new office in [[Stockholm]], [[Sweden]] on March 4, 2024, due to its agreement on Japanese-Scandinavian corporation. The office in Stockholm represents also other Scandinavian and Baltic countries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jnto.go.jp/news/press/20240215.html|title=スウェーデンにストックホルム事務所を開設します！|website=www.jnto.go.jp|language=ja|access-date=2024-03-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jnto.go.jp/about-us/overseas-network/stockholm.html|title=ストックホルム事務所|website=www.jnto.go.jp|language=ja|access-date=2024-03-11}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Japan Tourism Agency]]
* [[Tourism in Japan]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/ JNTO site] in English
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090303044022/http://www.visitjapan.jp/ Visit Japan Campaign] Yokoso! Japan by JNTO
*[http://www.live-japan.jp/ Live Japan Campaign site] in English

{{Independent Administrative Institutions of Japan}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Independent Administrative Institutions of Japan|National Tourism Organization]]
[[Category:Tourism in Japan|National Tourism Organization]]
[[Category:Tourism agencies]]
[[Category:2003 establishments in Japan]]