Dia Mirza Handrich, Miss Asia-Pacific 2000 and the popular Bollywood actress was in Delhi to promote Japan tourism in India at an event organized by the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA), Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) and the Embassy of Japan at the India International Center (IIC) today.

The event was part of an ongoing series of events held to commemorate the 60th year of diplomatic relations between India and Japan in 2012. Ms. Mirza had visited Japan in 2011 on an invitation by JNTO to release a video message in support of Destination Japan.

"I am thrilled and privileged to be associated with destination Japan – a land of endless discovery of natural beauty, traditions, diverse culture, cuisine and arts. At the same time, it also appeals to young generations looking for modern design, contemporary art, Japanese comics and fashion trends. I feel a strong connection to this great land of contrasts," Ms. Mirza said.

The event also featured spectacular performances by traditional dancers from Morioka and Sendai regions of Tohoku in Northern Japan, a region often referred to as a "treasure chest" of folk arts. The centuries-old folk music and dance tradition survived the ferocious earthquake and tsunami of 3/11. The region is now on the road to recovery and efforts are being made to continuously revive the tourism in affected areas.

“We take this opportunity to express our gratitude and show appreciation towards Indian visitors for their continuous support to Japan, especially after the twin disaster of earthquake and Tsunami last year. We are confident that we would achieve our goal of welcoming 18 million foreign tourists to Japan by 2016 through our sustained promotional activities and tourism friendly policies,” commented Norifumi Idee, Commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Hajime Hayashi, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, Embassy of Japan in India, said, “2012 is a landmark year which marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and India. As the ties between two countries grow and strengthen, we sincerely look forward to welcoming and supporting an increasing number of Indian visitors to re-discover the beauty of Japan.”

Mr. Motonari Adachi, Executive Director- JNTO, Singapore Office, while felicitating Ms. Mirza, added “We appreciate Ms. Mirza’s valuable support to our promotional campaign in the Indian market. India is one of the key focus markets for us to attract tourists to Japan and we have witnessed a remarkable recovery from the Indian market.”

Japan has made tourism as one their key priorities in up-lifting the country’s economy out of the calamities of 2011. JNTO is actively promoting the destination in the Indian market as part of its emerging markets strategy to inspire leisure travelers to visit Japan.

In first eight months of 2012, the number of total Indian visitor arrivals stood at 45,200; which is an impressive 18.4% growth compared to the same period in the year 2011. Apart from traditional marketing strategies, Japan is also leveraging on the social media platforms like a dedicated “Visit Japan from India” Facebook page, targeted specifically for its Indian fans.