World | Hello Kitty Hello, China: Meet Japan's New Envoy Japan tabs pop icon to bring in visitors from China By Nick McMaster Posted May 19, 2008 8:00 PM CDT Copied Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Tetsuzo Fuyushiba shakes hands with kimono-clad Hello Kitty as South Korean singer Younha looks on at his office in Tokyo Monday, May 19, 2008. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) Hello Kitty has been tapped as Japan’s cultural envoy to China, the AP reports. Japan’s ministry of tourism chose the über-popular icon to represent the country in its drive to attract 10 million annual visitors to the islands. Last year, tourists from China and Hong Kong made up 16.5% of Japan's 8.35 million overseas visitors. Read These Next President Trump was not a fan of the halftime show at the Super Bowl. Some Olympians are struggling with representing the US. Vonn has surgery after 'heartbreaking' crash. Ghislaine Maxwell had a behind-the-scenes role in Clinton world. Report an error