The Taiwan Tourism Administration has appointed Japanese actor Satoshi Tsumabuki as its 2025 tourism ambassador for the Japan market. At Tourism EXPO Japan 2025 Aichi/Chubu-Hokuriku, currently being held at Aichi Sky Expo (Aichi International Exhibition Center) in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, an ambassador inauguration ceremony took place on September 26.
Tsumabuki appeared wearing an outfit that incorporated traditional Taiwanese floral fabric as a pocket square and greeted the assembled stakeholders and media in Chinese, saying, “大家好！ 我是妻夫木聰.” As proof of his appointment, he received an “ambassador business card” from Taiwan Tourism Administration Director-General Chen Yu-xiu (陳玉秀) and said, “I want to do my best to showcase Taiwan’s appeal to people in Japan to the fullest.”
To commemorate his appointment for a second consecutive year following fiscal 2024, a set of drinking glasses designed around six Taiwanese cities—Taipei, Yilan, Nantou, Chiayi, Tainan, and Kaohsiung—was also presented. Having visited Kaohsiung for a commercial shoot, Tsumabuki smiled and said, “They’re so cute. I want to make a toast with the Kaohsiung glass.”
In line with the commercial’s main concept, “Beloved Taiwan Journey,” when asked by the MC about his “most beloved point about Taiwan,” Tsumabuki answered, “Taiwanese food.” “The most delicious thing this time was beef soup,” he said. “To put it simply, it’s like Taiwanese-style beef shabu-shabu. You mix your own dipping sauce and enjoy the flavor you like.” At the beef soup shop, a local customer sitting next to him spoke to him in Japanese, saying, “I know who you are. Keep it up.”
According to the Taiwan Tourism Administration, the number of Japanese visitors to Taiwan in 2024 reached 1.31 million, up 42% year on year. By appointing Tsumabuki, the agency aims to further encourage visits to Taiwan by travelers from Japan.
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