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2008年5月20日 星期二

Hello Kitty becomes Japanese tourism ambassador 凱蒂貓成為日本觀光大使

Cult cartoon character Hello Kitty has been named a goodwill tourism ambassador for Japan.

It is the first time a cartoon character has taken on the normally human role.

The feline character has become a global phenomenon, with more than 50,000 different products on sale in 60 countries.

The cat is one of mascot-obsessed Japan's biggest hits as a toy character - is often seen on lunch boxes, jewellery and many other accessories.

She will be used to promote Japan in China and Hong Kong.

Japan's national tourism ministry made the announcement at a press conference today.

The ministry, which has so far appointed 11 people as goodwill tourism ambassadors, said the global icon was "qualified" for the job due to its popularity among Chinese people.

Shintaro Tsuji, president of Sanrio Co, the company which created the toy cat, called Hello Kitty's new appointment "an honour" and pledged the feline would "work hard to attract many visitors."

The new role for Hello Kitty is part of the Japanese government's Visit Japan Campaign, which aims to attract 10 million tourists a year.

A Hello Kitty blog will start around late June on the Chinese language page of the campaign website to introduce tourist attractions in Japan, including historic and popular sites, Kyodo said.

In March, the foreign ministry appointed another cartoon cat, robo-cat Doraemon, as a charm ambassador in a bid to promote the nation's culture and win the hearts of future world leaders. (AP/Metro.co.uk)

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