Hiroshima Prefecture’s Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki highlights the key messages of peace and hope from one of Japan’s most famous cities, and the prefecture’s appeal for a wide range of industries and its potential for increased tourism. He adds that having been entirely destroyed by the first atomic bombing in history, today the city has two key messages for the world: the elimination of nuclear weapons and to be seen as a symbol of hope. The city is an illustration of what is possible, how to recover and to look forward to the future.
Hiroshima has compiled a plan outlining the abolition of nuclear weapons and the realization of world peace. What is Hiroshima’s role in outlining a plan for world peace?
Hiroshima has two messages to the world. The first one is to eliminate the use of nuclear weapons – it should never happen again. The second one is to give hope to others. We are constantly receiving young professionals and students coming to Hiroshima from countries like Afghanistan, Iraq and others, and their first comment when they arrive is, “Wow this is the city that was bombed.” The first impression they get from Hiroshima is how beautifully it has recovered from the devastation. That gives them strong hope. This hope part is very important looking forward and for the future. With determination you can recover from the devastation and nuclear bombing. In addition, we are promoting peace in a number of ways, by first of all getting rid of the negative side, and secondly by promoting the positive side of peace.
Why are you highlighting this initiative now?
The idea came in because 2015 marked the 70th anniversary of the end of the war and of the bombing, which means that the youngest survivor is now 70 years old. Inevitably, those survivors will be gone some day in the future and won’t be here to convey these messages anymore. The most powerful messages have been coming from them, combined with the two messages I mentioned above, of eliminating the use of nuclear weapons and giving hope. So I believe that we should now take the lead in this action and promote this initiative. Besides, to enhance our effort we only rely on the survivors.
What are Hiroshima Prefecture’s key attributes when it comes to attracting business and where can potential investors find the most attractive opportunities?
Hiroshima Prefecture boasts a very strong industrial base and hosts a variety of heavy industries—including the automobile, steel and ship building industries—as well as more modern industries that manufacture goods such as electronics and electric devices. Many global industry leaders and world-class companies across many fields have chosen the prefecture as their base of operations, such as Mazda Motor Corp. In addition, the prefecture also offers excellent universities with a wide range of programs that attract international students from all over the world.
How are you actively promoting increased private sector partnerships with US-based companies – more specifically towards a closer connection with Silicon Valley?
This is a project that I am very keen on, and it comes from my personal experience. I worked for the Ministry of International Trade and Industry and studied in Silicon Valley, I am not saying that we need to implement Silicon Valley’s system. However, I think we can learn from them. It is like learning from top-level executives. That is what we are trying to do, and to apply it to Hiroshima’s economy and executives.
How are the effects of increased globalization enhancing new opportunities and access to new markets for companies in your prefecture?
Fortunately, many companies in Hiroshima have been operating globally already. However, of course some have not been able to do that yet and remain very local or national. We have had many visits from companies of Silicon Valley, and we take along representatives of Hiroshima companies on trips to India and other parts of Asia. In fact, some businesses are opening up their offices in India now and some are recruiting people from other Asian countries. So gratefully our international activities have started to increase. However, we still need to capitalize on the new growth of the leading developing countries around Japan. As you know, Japan is facing an aging population and a shrinking market, so it is difficult for us to grow domestically, and therefore we need to tap into those markets.
What plans are in place to ensure the development of a sustainable form of tourism in Hiroshima?
We don’t necessarily see tourism as having a negative impact on our environment. Presenting the beauty of the country is a top priority in the prefecture. We have many tourism attractions: ranging from our fascinating culture, stunning nature, natural sites and national beauties, to various kinds of activities for visitors to engage in experiencing those national beauties: cycling, boating, island hopping, and much more.
However, to attract tourists we need to serve them, otherwise people will feel disappointed. So to maintain or even increase the quality level of tourist experiences, we need to restore our environment, invest in services, and utilize our environment in a smart way. Besides, I think that tourists will make Japanese people more aware of our assets, whether it is our culture or natural environment.
What would be your final message to the international audience?
Japan is not only Tokyo, there is a lot more to experience. Come and experience Hiroshima: its inland beauty, its 1,000 islands, its beautiful landscape, and its traditional culture with a long history.
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