Kefalogianni in Tokyo for tourism

The Minister of Tourism, Olga Kephalogiannis, was in Tokyo within the framework of the international tourism exhibition Tourism Expo Japan 2026, where she had a series of contacts aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between Greece and Japan in the tourism sector. The visit was announced by the Ministry of Tourism on Friday, September 25, 2026. Within the framework of her contacts, the minister presented Greece’s strategy for sustainable tourism, and had a meeting with Japan Airlines Vice President Ross Leggett, aimed at strengthening air connectivity between the two countries. According to the ministry, this was “a meeting with the Vice President of Japan Airlines to strengthen air connectivity.” The minister’s contacts also included matters of cultural cooperation, with interlocutors from Japanese tourism authorities.

Tourism Expo Japan is one of the largest international tourism exhibitions in Asia, where countries, organizations, and businesses in the sector present destinations and services to professionals and the public. The Greek sustainable tourism strategy presented in Tokyo comprises seven separate axes: mountain tourism, marine tourism, diving tourism, gastronomic tourism, wine tourism, wellness tourism, and medical tourism. The aim of this approach is to broaden the tourism offering beyond the summer beach model, with emphasis on specialized products aimed at specific audiences. The presentation of such a strategy at an international exhibition like Tourism Expo Japan is primarily aimed at professionals in the sector, travel agencies, and tour operators, who put together packages and proposals for travelers in the Japanese market.

The Japanese market is considered distant but high-value for Greek tourism, as it involves visitors with longer stays and spending compared to many European markets. According to data presented by the Ministry of Tourism, Greece welcomed a total of 43 million visitors in 2025, a figure that also includes cruise ship passengers — a segment of the market that has shown signs of dynamism, as recently seen in the case of Kavala: two cruise ships in two days. For distant markets like the Japanese one, however, air connectivity remains a determining factor, as the time and cost of travel are to a large degree dependent on available airline connections and intermediate stops for visitors.

The contacts of the Minister of Tourism in Tokyo, as the ministry reports, are ongoing, with discussion on air connectivity with Japan Airlines remaining at an exploration level, with no agreement, new flight, or specific timeline having been announced. Alongside tourism matters, the contacts include aspects of cultural cooperation between Greece and Japan, without further details having been disclosed to date. The Ministry of Tourism has not announced any update on public events or statements regarding the contacts in Tokyo.