JAPANTIMES
 
The Jakarta City Tourism and Culture Office has named JKT48, a sister troupe to Japan’s own AKB48, a tourism ambassador for the city to encourage people to visit from Japan.
 
Haruka Nakagawa, a former AKB48 member who transferred to JKT48 and moved to Jakarta two years ago, told a news conference Wednesday that Jakarta has lots of shopping malls that Japanese tourists should enjoy.
 
She said that the city has many amusements and that the cuisine has considerable variety — even Japanese dishes are available.
 
Fellow JKT48 member Ayana Shahab said the group will work hard to publicize Jakarta’s attractions for Japanese visitors.
 
Tourism office figures show around 210,000 Japanese visited Jakarta in 2013, mostly on business. The office aims to boost numbers by promoting it as a destination for shopping and for recreational activities such as golf.