Colleen Sakura

Writer, 58 (American)

This is Japan's chance to show the outside world they are doing a good job of looking after their own. It would benefit Japan to show better rebuilding efforts in Tohoku and that they are getting the nuclear situation under control. Otherwise the games look like a deliberate focus shift.

Sakura Tsuchihashi

Housewife, 35 (Venezuelan)

More menus should be translated into English and more English training for staff would be a start. But really, there should be more information available in other languages. There's Chinese and English now, but information in more languages is necessary.

Robert J. Kelley

United States Navy, 22 (American)

Foreigners aren't aware of Japan's complicated recycling policies. Better explanations of that — as well as more trash and recycling cans on the street — would be a good thing, I think.

Kana Suzuki

University student, 19 (Japanese)

Students and ordinary people should promote Japan. We can use social-networking services to let foreigners know good points about Japan — for example, places for sightseeing or explaining about the Japanese idea of omotenashi (hospitality).

Matt Dunn

Royal Australian Navy, 37 (Australian)

There isn't a lot Japan has to do. The stadiums will be great and the transport is already awesome. Sometimes you might get lost when visiting smaller communities. Japan should provide more information about places outside of the cities to get tourists to visit smaller local spots.

Leza Lowitz

Yoga teacher/writer, 50 (American)

The Japanese authorities should listen to domestic and international voices about various issues in Japan, like the dolphin killing in Taiji. This is a chance for them to change or fix some of these issues and use the attention the Olympics provides to show they are doing something about them.

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