Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) New York Office announces that the current executive director Ms. Yuki Tanaka has finished her four year tenure, and she has been replaced by Mr. Ken Iwata on June 18. Mr. Iwata will come to the JNTO New York office from the JNTO’s Tokyo headquarters, where he has worked at the inbound promotion department for one year. He is originally from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

His career in transport policies ranges from aviation security to automobile and infrastructure export projects such as Japan’s high-speed railway system, the “Shinkansen” Bullet Train. He also worked in the tourism department of the Mie local government from 2012 to 2014, a region known as the hometown of ninja, and the hosting prefecture of the 2016 G7 Summit in Ise Shima, a very historic and noble town with the over 2,000 year old imperial shrine.

Mr. Iwata holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo, after which he earned a master’s degree of science in regulation from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), University of London.

Looking at the current tourism market trends in the US market, he expects JNTO to raise their brand awareness as a destination, and differentiate Japan from other Asian destinations with culture, history, technology and unique experiences that Japan can offer for special interest tours and educational travel destinations.

JNTO, www.jnto.go.jp