On February 13, 2023, a ceremony was held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office to appoint the Tokyo Tourism Ambassadors, who will participate in a wide range of public relations activities to promote Tokyo’s tourism assets. The new Ambassadors come from divergent fields and will leverage their experience, respective audiences, and communication capabilities to spread the message of the diversity that Tokyo has to offer tourists, both in Japan and overseas. Tokyo Tourism Ambassadors play a key role in Tokyo’s ongoing endeavors to boost visitor numbers and revitalize local communities.

The 16 Ambassadors include VTuber Sakura Miko, world-famous Malaysian cosplayer Hakken, and actor Bessho Tetsuya.

Governor Koike, who attended the ceremony, stated “I hope to draw on the wealth of experience and strong communication capabilities of our new Tokyo Tourism Ambassadors to further promote our city’s appeal.”

On May 11, following his appointment as a Tokyo Tourism Ambassador, Kumakawa Tetsuya, ballet dancer and artistic director of K-Ballet Company, met with the governor. Regarding his appointment, Kumakawa commented, “I love Tokyo, so I’m very excited that we can invite talented people from around the world to present their artistic and intellectual productions here. K-Ballet Company was established in 1999, and will be renamed K-Ballet Tokyo next year, marking its 25th anniversary. The timing of my appointment as a Tourism Ambassador feels like a wonderful coincidence—I can’t wait to immerse myself in the role.”