FPCJ plans and coordinates press tours based on requests from local governments and other bodies, selecting places to visit, announcing the tour, listing participants, and attending the tour. Each tour has about 10 participants. Their reports on the tour are transmitted all over the world. The FPCJ website carries the detailed announcement and report of a tour.
How Commissioned and Joint Press Tours Are Organized
- (1) Tour program draft
- A tour program draft, including content from which the foreign press can produce articles and TV programs, is drawn up based on the tour sponsor’s original plan, taking into consideration the interests of the foreign press, trends in reporting, newsworthiness, and other factors.
- (2) Estimate of expenses
- Expenses for transportation, accommodation, meals, interpreters, and other arrangements, including planning and coordination expenses, are worked out.
- (3) Prior inspection of tour destination, meeting with staff in charge (approx. one month prior to planned tour date)
- Based on the draft tour program draft, staff from the FPCJ travel to the location to conduct prior inspection of the places to be visited and hold meetings with personnel there so as to confirm the content of the visits.
- (4) Tour announcement (approx. three weeks prior to planned tour date)
- Once the program is finalized, a tour announcement (in Japanese and English) is drawn up. Points of interest are summarized clearly and concisely, with the focus on the program’s highlights.
- (5) Recruitment and confirmation of tour participants
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The tour announcement (in Japanese and English) is posted on the FPCJ website to notify foreign correspondents based in Tokyo. Application to participate is made through the website.
- (6) Implementation of tour
- A staff member from the FPCJ accompanies the tour from Tokyo as coordinator and provides assistance.
- (7) Tour questionnaire
- After the tour, the participants are asked to reply to a questionnaire to provide feedback to the tour sponsor about participants’ evaluations and comments regarding the tour.
- (8) Follow-up on articles or TV programs related to the tour
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The FPCJ follows up on articles or TV programs and other reporting produced based on the tour and reports on these to the sponsor.
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May 25 - 26, 2011 "Tohoku Press Tour"
(Pillar of revitalizing tourism, Matsushima) -
August 25, 2011 "Kawasaki Press Tour"
(Ukishima Solar Power Plant) -
October 1-2, 2012 "Shizuoka Press Tour"
(Mt. Fuji aiming at World Heritage Site) -
January 30-31, 2013 "Kobe Press Tour"
(K computer)