Arab News Japan

DUBAI: Oita Airport will be renamed to ‘Oita Hello Kitty Airport’ for six months during Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.

The Oita Prefectural Government announced the name change recently, which was thanks to a subsidiary of Sanrio Co. that owns licensing rights of Hello Kitty.

Oita expects the new name will attract foreign tourists and domestic visitors during the Expo, which kicks off on April 13.

During the Expo, the airport, located in Kunisaki, will feature photo spaces with Hello Kitty and other Sanrio characters, as well as flags with Sanrio character designs showcasing Oita Prefecture’s specialty products.

According to the Mainichi, Oita Gov. Kiichiro Sato said at a press conference: “By promoting the prefecture’s charm both domestically and internationally, we expect to generate significant synergistic effects.”

In December of last year, Oita and Sanrio signed an agreement to promote tourism.