Statement of Principles by Takafumi Uemoto, Representative Director of the Okinawa Resort Wedding Association

Haisai (hello)!
My name is Takafumi Uemoto (Head of the President’s Office at Okinawa Watabe Wedding Co., Ltd.), and I have recently been appointed Representative Director of the Okinawa Resort Wedding Association, a general incorporated association. As I take on this important role, I feel a sense of solemn responsibility, and my desire to “make Okinawa’s future even more wonderful” has grown even stronger.
"Japan's paradise for lovers around the world." Our mission is very simple—and powerful.
Beautiful nature and the warm-hearted people of Okinawa. We hope that more people will experience the joy and emotion of celebrating life’s important milestones and anniversaries here, while making new friends and forming new connections. That is our wish.

Our mission is “Bringing Japan’s paradise to lovers around the world,” and15,000 couples to hold weddings in Okinawa by 2030,Our goal is to help 15,000 couples have a photo wedding.Furthermore, 3,400 of those are intended for inbound customers, andFrom English-speaking countries as well, 1,Our goal is to welcome 000 couples to Okinawa.

According to data* on the domestic market, the annual number of marriages in Japan is approximately 47.There were 50,000 couples, of whom approximately 52% held a wedding ceremony and reception.However,About 6% of all couples actually have a resort wedding.—that is, it remains at approximately 14,800 pairs, andOf that total, 10, which accounts for approximately 72 percent,648 couples have chosen Okinawa. Meanwhile,Couples who have a photo wedding account forThis amounts to approximately 95,000 couples, or about 20 percent, andIt can be described as a large market with promising future growth. (*(Recruit Co., Ltd. Comprehensive Survey on Attitudes Toward Marriage and Zexy Marriage Trends Survey)

Looking ahead,It is projected that the number of marriages will decline to approximately 400,000 by 2030, andHowever,Among these, the number of couples holding domestic resort weddings is estimated to be approximately 20,000.It is estimated that 13,500 of those couples will choose Okinawa.Including inbound demand, there are 15 weddings,Reaching the target of 000 groups is considered entirely realistic.

Furthermore, looking at overseas markets, China, South Korea,In neighboring countries such as Taiwan,The number of marriages remains high. For example, in China, in 20The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced that there were 6.1 million marriages in 2024, andIf even just 0.1 percent of those weddings were held in Okinawa, that would amount to approximately 6,It holds great potential, with an expected 000 groups of visitors.

To realize this vision, we need “organizational strength” and “It is essential to further strengthen our "ability to disseminate information."

In terms of organizational strength,We are working to strengthen our organizational structure based on committee activities, andBrand Development Committee, Photo and Video Committee, Gift Committee,The Human Resources Development Committee, respectively,We are committed to improving the quality of our wedding services. In addition,YONNA (Northern Region Revitalization) Committee, Miyakojima Branch Committee,The Prefectural Wedding Revitalization Committee,Fostering a welcoming atmosphere in the community, and,We are working to promote the resort wedding experience in our local area.. Furthermore, the Inbound Committee and the Fair Committee are working to expand sales channels,The Entertainment Committee and the Member Satisfaction Committee,We are working to facilitate matches between members and improve their satisfaction, andUnder a broad organizational structure comprising 149 participating companies,To solve the challenges facing the industry, andWe aim to establish a world-class wedding brand originating in Okinawa....

In terms of promoting information, even among products and services originating in Okinawa,With regard to items that are of the highest quality not only in Japan but also worldwide,We are strengthening our communications in multiple languages, including English. In addition,By delving into and introducing the unique local resources and cultural attractions of Okinawa,...aims to evoke deeper empathy and interest."Fairs" that have primarily targeted couples considering a wedding ceremonyBut now there’s a “festival” where you can experience Okinawan date activitiesevolved into,As a new event that will also help reach couples in the potential customer base,...is unfolding.

And our association’s motto: “Japan’s Paradise for Lovers Around the World”With that mission in mind, “The World’s No. 1 Mecca for Couples”With this new vision in mind, couples from all over the world come to visit, andWhere the residents welcome visitors with “utui muchi” (the spirit of hospitality),We will continue to promote the development of business models unique to Okinawa that cannot be found anywhere else.。