InsideJapan News Network

Japan has some way to go if it is to fully exploit the opportunities that tourism presents, it has been claimed.

With seven million visitors arriving in the nation in 2006, there is plenty of room for the sector to expand, according to the Japan Times.

The newspaper suggested that the newly established Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) should aim to chip away at the country's image as a shopping mecca and instead promote the historical and cultural highlights it boasts.

It also called for more focus on language. Larger cities began to introduce English-language signs in 2002 for the World Cup, but this initiative needs to be shown elsewhere.

Formed at the beginning of the month, the JTA is charged with upgrading Japan's tourism industry and creating new attractions, as well as promoting and protecting the interests of Japanese travellers.