by Jason Young, staff editor, Inside AX- Anime Expo

That’s right all you anime/manga, Japanese game and idol aficionados. In hopes of rekindling a significant drop in tourism, with some prefectures such as Yamagata experiencing up to 80%, yesterday the Japanese ministry of tourism announced that they are going to invite 10,000 foreigners to Japan – and pay for your airfare. A pretty cool deal if you ask me, especially given how expensive the trip will more than likely cost you.

According to Danny Choo, applications will be done on the Internet with people being invited in 2012. For the applications however, potential applicants will have to submit their travel plans online for when they are in Japan along with their itinerary. If the government feels that you truly intend to visit, and not overstay as an illegal immigrant, they will pay for your flight.

Their hope is that travelers will blog and use social media to help spread word about their experiences in Japan to make more people want to visit the country.

Although applications are not currently available at the moment, be sure to keep an eye on the Japan National Tourism Organization page for the latest news on when they are. Additionally, leaving a comment on Danny Choo’s blog (which I’ve linked here) might help go a long way towards your once-in-a-lifetime chance of getting to use an actual Japanese bidet, as he has some pull within the Japanese government since he works for them.

edit: It was confirmed by Danny Choo that the applications will start in Summer 2012 after budget is approved.

Tags: Danny Choo, Japan