In 2025, the annual number of foreign visitors to Japan reached 42,683,600, a 15.8% increase from the previous year. This significantly surpassed the previous record of 36,870,148 set in 2024 by over 5.8 million visitors, marking an all-time high. As part of the Japanese government’s policy to promote Japan as a tourism-oriented nation, the “5th Tourism Nation Promotion Basic Plan” has set a target of 60 million foreign visitors and 15 trillion yen in travel consumption by 2030.

Under these circumstances, utilizing Web3 to create a “related population” (people who are not residents but maintain a continuous connection with a region) to address local labor shortages and revitalize tourism in rural areas has become increasingly important. Furthermore, the significance of disseminating information using foreign influencers is rising, and its adoption is expanding among enterprises, local governments, and tourism-related businesses.

However, regarding the utilization of influencers, various issues and troubles have been observed due to a lack of understanding regarding contracts, taxation, advertising regulations, and residential status (visas). Therefore, appropriate practical compliance and response measures are highly demanded.

This seminar will explain the potential of creating related populations and building continuous touchpoints through Web3 technology, while also organizing the practical points of caution when working with foreign influencers.

※Only available in Japanese.

Event Overview

  • Organizer: Japan International Influencer Association (JIIA)
  • Cooperation: Unión Española de Creadores (Spanish Creators Union), Korea Influencer eCommerce Association, Japan Web3 Tourism Association, Digital Entertainment Asset Co., Ltd.
  • Date & Time: Thursday, July 16, 2026, 14:00 – 15:30 (JST)
  • Admission Fee: Free
  • Application Form: https://forms.gle/6x33kaYpb7SAMWwz7

Speaker Profiles

  • Mr. Hiraku Iwashita (Representative Director Japan Web3 Tourism Association) After leaving his previous position at JTB in 2021, he focused on “Web3” technology as a means to solve industry challenges such as labor shortages, financial shortages, and commission fees. He established the Association in April 2022. The utilization of Web3, alongside AI, has been explicitly stated in the government’s “5th Tourism Nation Promotion Basic Plan.” He is currently working to popularize Web3 together with approximately 40 member companies.
  • Mr. Kozo Yamada (President and CEO, DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT ASSET Co., Ltd.) Born in 1977. After graduating from the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Law, he joined TV Tokyo in 2002, where he was involved in producing numerous programs, focusing on music and variety shows. In 2018, he founded DEA in Singapore. He is actively expanding gamification businesses aimed at solving social issues, including “PicTree,” a citizen-participatory infrastructure inspection territory game developed in collaboration with TEPCO. He is currently active as a Web3 and gamification expert, appearing broadly across media and lecture events.
  • Mr. Shunsuke Saito (Regulatory Compliance Committee Member, Japan International Influencer Association / Representative, APOC Co., Ltd.) Established APOC Co., Ltd. in 2022, leading product and project development from scratch. The company runs “Global Press,” a press release distribution service for overseas markets, and “UZU,” a PR platform for foreign influencers. Both services have been adopted by more than 100 companies, including listed corporations.