By Miyoko Ishigami
TOKYO, April 26 (KUNA) -- Although Japan has only a small Muslim population, the country enjoys the rapidly growing number of visitors from the Islamic world for business and tourism, prompting local governments and private businesses to strive to create Muslim-friendly environments.
Major gateways, not only the capital Tokyo, but also other areas, such as Fukuoka City in Japan's southwest, have recently installed a prayer room at its international airport and restaurants serving halal food or Muslim-friendly meals.
The city hosted country's first-ever halal food trade fair three years ago, which showcased a wide range of items such as processed foods, condiments, confectionery, beverages and cosmetics made in Japan in accordance with Islamic Law.
Fukuoka has also published a special guide introducing a number of the Muslim-friendly restaurants in town, which is designed to help Muslim visitors and residents enjoy their meals in confidence, the first such approach by the Japanese municipality. Edited with the help of the local Islamic center, the guide covers three categories of businesses -- those under Muslim management, those frequented by Muslim residents of Fukuoka, and those selling halal-certified food. Halal means permitted or lawful according to Islamic Law which forbids the consumption of pork and alcoholic drinks among other requirements.
According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, about 410,000 people visited Japan in 2014 from Indonesia and Malaysia, which have large Muslim populations, up 32 percent on the year, thanks to relaxed visa requirements for those nationals since July 2013. In addition to Muslim-dominant Asian countries, the Middle East is seen as an attractive market here with huge potential with the affluence of the oil rich region. "We welcome tourists from the Middle East to enjoy our local dishes and hospitality," Koichi Gono, Chief Executive, Economy, Tourism & Culture Bureau at the Fukuoka City Government, said in a statement to Kuwait News Agency during the recent food fair showcasing local cuisine in the city, which boasts fresh seafood and vegetables among others.
On the back of a sharp increase in the Muslim tourist inflows to Japan, which will host the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, other holiday spots have also ramped up efforts to attract Muslim travelers. Last month, an international airport in the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa opened an official prayer room for Muslims. Travel agencies in Okinawa, which is famous for its beach resort, also began offering Muslim-friendly tours with all the necessary food and lodging arrangements catering them.
Moreover, the ancient capital of Kyoto City in the west, one of the most popular sightseeing sites in the country, has launched a website for Muslim tourists written in English, Arabic, Turkish and Malay. The website details information of interest to Muslim tourists, such as locations of of mosques, prayer-friendly hotels, and restaurants serving halal menu and other Muslim-welcome services, including those offering pork and alcohol-free Japanese traditional cuisine. The website also introduces the special characteristics of unfamiliar Japanese foods to Muslim tourists in order to assure them enjoy meals without violating Islamic dietary rules. The total global Muslim population is currently some 1.6 billion, with forecasted to rise to 2.2 billion by 2030, or about 30 percent of the world's population. (end) mk.gta