Cooperating with Japanese local government through Instagram: project launch.
Instagram has had a huge impact in Japan, helping to drive the growth of many SMEs, many of them in the tourism industry using the platform while helping to build relationships with their customers. Nearly half (48%) of SMEs asked in Japan agree Instagram helps them find new customers according to Ipsos Mori research, who also estimates that during 2017 Instagram was involved in the planning and execution of around 2.7 million in-bound leisure tourism visits to Japan
To support tourism off the beaten track, JLGC has launched an Instagram account for promotion overseas called “Local eyes Japan” (click the link to see or search Instagram for @localeyesjapan) and started posting photos in March 2021. Japanese local government wanting to use social media accounts for fans of Japan overseas can now send out information on local tourist information and local specialities, where frequent posting in English by staff in those local areas would otherwise not be easy.
Additionally, it can be a challenge for overseas users to reach an account operated by a local government in Japan, making it difficult to disseminate information up until now.
So each local government can submit photos and explanations, JLGC coordinates with them to allow information to be sent using JLGC’s Instagram account.
By collecting information in one source and sending it in English, JLGC enables Instagram users to obtain a variety of community-based information not seen in popular guidebooks. At the same time, it’s now easier for Japanese local government to promote themselves, and has the advantage of making it easier for Japanese local government to improve their posts by seeing the kind of content popular and attractive to non-Japanese audiences.
Further, as it takes time and money to publicise overseas, and it currently being difficult to publicise abroad due to the impact of the pandemic, it is not expensive to use social media and reach a lot of people.
With this account, JLGC wants to introduce the unseen charms of Japan to more people overseas, and increase opportunities to visit Japan, purchase Japanese-related products, and become familiar with Japanese culture in the regions.
Official applications from local government are not the only posts tagged with #localeyesjapan_share to be selected and reposted. Anyone can participate and use the hashtag, so if you have any information related to Japan that you would like to recommend, such as Japanese shops and restaurants, crafts purchased in the UK or recipes for Japanese food, please join us and tag yourself in a photo with the hashtag #localeyesjapan_share
