The Manda Coal Mine and Misumi West Port have been approved for inscriptions on UNESCO’s World Heritage List as “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution.” An increase in international charter flights and the establishment of regular flights to and from Kumamoto Airport, as well as an increase in the number of cruise ships visiting Yatsushiro Port, are being planned.
Other than reinforcing the tourism industry, Kumamoto Prefecture is intensifying its efforts to vitalize the region with cooperation among industry, the government, academia, and local financial institutions. An issue worth considering in strengthening regional growth is to fully and effectively utilize the tangible and intangible resources each region possesses.