The Okinawa Prefectural Government and the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry agreed Monday to set up a council to promote tourism to Okinawa, where the industry has been suffering since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S.
The council will consist of travel agencies, airlines, government-related bodies and others and will discuss how to calm public fears of terrorism on airlines and at U.S. military bases in Okinawa.
Since the attacks, about 120,000 people have canceled package tours to the prefecture, 102,000 of whom were students going on school excursions, the ministry said.