The film is high budget and features two top Japanese male movie stars and also several Americans. The story is about how Capitan Oba became the last of the Japanese forces to surrender on Saipan. It is an exciting story and it is getting top press in Tokyo.
The film will be released in Japan on Feb. 11, 2011, and the premier will open to a special audience here in Saipan on Jan. 31. I believe that this film could be an opportunity for Saipan. The story happens here, it is based on a topic of interest to Japanese. There should be many tourist who would like to visit Saipan to see where Capitan Oba fought his battles with the Americans. Japan tour groups are doing limited promotion tours to Saipan to see where this drama took place. This movie could bring many additional tourists to Saipan if properly promoted as a Saipan destination! The concern and questions that I have: are we ready to take advantage of this opportunity? Are tour guides trained, indeed have they read the Jones’ book? Are the trails marked and the Oba Command Posts been identified? Do we have Oba merchandise available? Have we promoted Saipan in the Japanese press outlets? I ask these questions because I have not seen any promotions of this film in Saipan. The motion picture company of course is focused on the Japanese market and, the advertisements in Tokyo are large and colorful. But, they only mention Saipan in passing and several of my friends in Tokyo who have seen the ads completely missed the fact that the movie takes place in Saipan.
Opportunities only come to those that go after them. Have we promoted this movie in Japan as a Saipan location where you can see where the events in the movie took place. It is not the responsibility of the film company to promote Saipan, it is ours. Of course Capitan Oba is now history, but things could be done to enhance the tourist experience by promoting locations, creating educational materials, making a visit exciting by our tour guides adding value by knowing that history. Perhaps all of these things that could have been done, have been done. But, I am concerned that we may miss yet another opportunity to enhance our tourist industry.
I learned about this film by accident. Perhaps those on island who have the responsibility to promote Saipan will have done their job and a new opportunity will be realized!
FRANK STEWART
Capital Hill, Saipan
