The Osaka Municipal Government is rolling out the red carpet to lure high-income tourists on cruise ships from Europe, the United States and Asia.
The port of Osaka has fallen behind rivals such as Yokohama, Kobe, and Hakata in Fukuoka in attracting ocean liners, with the trend partly attributed to low name recognition.
Last year, 33 cruise ships arrived at Osaka port, a 1.5-fold increase from 2007, according to the tourism ministry.