INTL_Hospitality University brochure

MESSAGE FROM KIYOHIKO TOYAMA (FORMER VICE FINANCE MINISTER) ON UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-STOUT JAPAN

Kitakyushu to be the capital of global hospitality education Kitakyushu is beginning to move forward and invites the University of Wisconsin- Stout to open its Japan campus. I am so delighted and firmly committed to make my best contribution to realize this project leveraging my extensive experience in tourism promotion and regional revitalization. The Japanese word tourism is spelled with two Chinese characters that are ‘to see’ and ‘light’. Japan has many various lights that tourists from all over the world long to see, evinced by the fact that some tens of millions of inbound tourists have visited Japan annually over the past years. Japan offers visitors globally appreciated fine cuisine and sake, culture, art, breathtaking landscapes, onsens (hot spas), quality accommodations, anime (cartoon film) and movies, fashion, etc. In addition, well-maintained public peace and the spirit of hospitality are what we are proud to offer tourists from overseas COVID-19 has catastrophically hit the world tourism industry since last year; however, I am more than convinced that the tourism industry will never die. The revenue generated for the Japanese economy by the industry can more than double what it has been in the past and reach 10 trillion+ Japanese yen in the future. Today the Japanese tourism industry desperately needs to educate a world-class multilingual workforce characterized by professional knowledge and skills. World- class hospitality is one of the advantages that Japan tourism has to offer to inbound tourists, and it makes sense to have the tourism education center in Kitakyushu to take full advantage of this opportunity.

In Japan’s modern history, Kitakyushu has been the significant hub of both human and material exchange in Western Japan. It is connected with major destinations by land, sea, and air. It is also globally reputed for its environmental commitment. Now is the time to make Kitakyushu further grow as the center to foster global tourism professionals.

CITY OF KITAKYUSHU

TOKYO (CAPITAL)

Kiyohiko Yoyama Former Vice Finance Minister President-Toyama Associates Consulting