【Verification】Number of visitors and economic ripple effect of projection mapping by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government? ーIn light of the existence of the "Observatory"
Amid discussions in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly and social media regarding the projection mapping project at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office, which the Tokyo Metropolitan Government started on February 26, 2024 in the form of an executive committee, Tokyo Governor Koike (71 years old) stated on March 15 that "the economic ripple effect will be 1.8 billion yen."
In the discussion of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government projection mapping project, the budget amount of 700 million yen in FY2023 and 950 million yen in FY2024, as well as the fact that Dentsu Live, a group company of Dentsu, a major advertising company that has been banned from participating in bidding by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government until August this year, was contracted to do the project.
In response to the criticism, Tokyo Governor Koike emphasized at a press conference held by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government on March 15 that "the economic ripple effect of projection mapping is assumed to be 1.8 billion yen," and appealed for the rationality of the project, stating that the calculation method was an estimate based on the consumption of visitors through eating, drinking, and lodging.
Good Travel News Communication, March 5 article Based on interviews with Tokyo officials, it was found that the contractor for the projection mapping project in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in FY2023 was "Dentsu Live", and that the name of "Dentsu Live" was not made public even though there were no legal problems. In addition, it was reported that "Dentsu Live" was entrusted with the business in the same way for the Hanshin Orix Victory Parade sponsored by Osaka Prefecture.
| At the last plenary session of the fiscal year in Japan on March 28, Komeito and Metropolitan First did not mention the budget for the projection mapping project, the Liberal Democratic Party mentioned the need for accountability, and the Constitutional Democracy, the Communist Party, and the Mirai Conference opposed it. The photo was taken with a disposable camera immediately after the meeting. |
The 20,000 visitors didn't count like that, did they?
At the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly meeting on March 12, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government suddenly announced that "more than 20,000 people visited the projection mapping at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government." Based on this, it is calculated that an average of about 1,200 people visited the site in the 17 days from February 25 (the official event was held on the 26th) to March 12, when projection mapping was launched. Certainly, it can be inferred that such a number is so.
On the other hand, in an article on March 5, the person in charge of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government pointed out the immaturity of the management side when he replied, "We do not count because it is an open space." In that case, we reconfirmed with the person concerned, and we received the same answer again after the call back. Presumably, the second answer was obtained by checking with "Dentsu Live".
At least at the time of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's response on March 4, the number of visitors was not counted. For this reason, the "calculation method" of the number of visitors of about 20,000 or more announced at the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly meeting on March 12 is questionable.
As for the economic ripple effect of 1.8 billion yen, there is no specific basis for the amount of consumption due to visitors' eating, drinking, and lodging. Through on-site interviews, we learned that about 60% of the visitors were foreign tourists visiting Japan, and many of them were tourists visiting the observation deck of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government around the time of the projection mapping.
Observatory, a device to attract foreign visitors to Japan
According to foreign tourists visiting Japan, guidance staff, and security staff, many visitors to the observatory have been visiting the observatory as a standard spot on the popular Tokyo sightseeing route even before the Corona disaster. And it seems that these tourists visit the observatory, learn about it from projection mapping announcement posters and word-of-mouth, and then go to the square where projection mapping is held.
In addition, during the projection mapping period of 7 p.m. ~ 9 p.m., many group buses stop around the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office to drop off passengers. Drivers from several bus companies told us that they were coming to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office on a sightseeing route in Tokyo, but it was before Corona and had nothing to do with the start of projection mapping.
| From March 3 to 28, the editorial department visited the venue four times, twice on weekdays and two on Sundays. |
The contraption of the number of visitors and the economic ripple effect?
At present, many of the spectators of projection mapping are foreign visitors to Japan, and it seems likely that they visit the observation deck regardless of projection mapping. For this reason, it is presumed that the number of visitors of more than 20,000 announced on the 12th is actually based on the number of visitors to the observatory. In addition, the economic ripple effect of 1.8 billion yen announced by Governor Koike overlaps in many ways with the consumption of tourists visiting the observatory rather than the projection mapping itself. When assessing the success of a new business, the focus should be on the new value created, rather than replacing existing market data. If we were to measure the economic effects of the projection mapping project alone, it would be possible to close the observatory and calculate the economic ripple effect with visitors, but it would be impossible to do so.
| Economic Ripple Effects (Statistics Bureau) When a new demand arises in a certain industry and production activities expand to meet that demand, it affects other industries one after another through trading and consumption of raw materials and materials, and affects other industries in many directions, like a stone thrown on the surface of the water. |
These verifications and inferences correspond to the allegations that arise due to inadequate explanations of the projection mapping business. In FY2024, a new budget of 950 million yen will be allocated to projection mapping for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and the contractor will be re-selected. Governor Koike is required to carefully explain the business process so that projection mapping itself is not demonized. If the lack of transparency continues, it could raise suspicions and undermine trust in fiscal 2024. Whether or not this point can be improved will also lead to an increase in the motivation and satisfaction of visitors to the projection mapping venue.
(Epilogue) When Prime Minister Yuriko Koike proudly talks about the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Projection Mapping, which has grown into a tourist attraction that represents Tokyo's nightlife, in her upcoming policy speech, the curtain will finally come to an end on the Koike Theater, which revolved around projection mapping.
