Offbeat | Godzilla welcomed in Tokyo – to lure visitors, not to scare

Fire-breathing, building-stomping Godzilla was welcomed in part of Tokyo last week as a sign of prosperity, not destruction.
The irradiated monster was appointed special resident and tourism ambassador for Shinjuku ward, known for its down-home bars and noodle restaurants.
A Godzilla-size head towering 52 meters above ground level was unveiled at an office of Toho, the Japanese studio behind the 1954 original. Toho is shooting a comeback film this year after a decade-long hiatus.
Godzilla’s standing as an icon has had its ups and downs, but its stature has been reinstated after the Hollywood “Godzilla,” directed by Gareth Edwards, became a global hit last year.
Japan is hoping the biggest star in this nation’s movie history will help lure tourists during a market-opening strategy launched by the prime minister.
At an awards ceremony next to the giant Godzilla head, an actor in a rubber suit waddled to Shinjuku Mayor Kenichi Yoshizumi. However, Toho executive Minami Ichikawa had to accept the residency certificate in Godzilla’s place, since the suit’s claws aren’t designed to grab anything.
The longtime belief is that any place Godzilla destructs in the movies is sure to prosper in real life, Yoshizumi said.
“Godzilla is a character that is the pride of Japan,” he said. AP