ウポポイ、誘客を強化　開業１年、目標及ばず―加藤官房長官

　加藤勝信官房長官は１２日の記者会見で、アイヌ文化を紹介する国の複合施設「民族共生象徴空間（ウポポイ）」（北海道白老町）が同日で開業１周年を迎えたことを受け、「展示や体験交流などのさらなる充実、周辺の観光地と連携した誘客の強化などに取り組んでいくことが必要だ」と語った。
　今月８日までの来場者数は約２５万６０００人で、年間１００万人の目標に遠く及ばなかった。加藤氏はコロナ禍が影響したとの認識を示した上で「満足の声も多数寄せられており、アイヌ文化に対する関心を高めていただいたのではないか」と強調した。（2021/07/12-15:03）

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato on Monday stressed the need to redouble efforts for attracting more visitors to the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park, which features the culture of Ainu indigenous people, exactly a year after its opening.
   "We need to work on increasing exhibits and strengthening experience-based programs at the facility, and enhancing measures to lure more visitors in cooperation with nearby tourist spots," the top government spokesman told a press conference.
   As of Thursday, the cumulative number of visitors to the government-run facility, which opened in the town of Shiraoi in the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido on July 12, 2020, stood at some 256,000, far below the state-set goal of one million visitors a year.
   While noting that the poor first-year result reflected the impact of the new coronavirus crisis, Kato said that many visitors made favorable comments about it. "We believe that the facility has raised visitors' interest in Ainu culture," he added.