With world leaders gathering at the G-7 Ise-Shima summit on May 26 and 27, the international spotlight will briefly focus on picturesque Mie Prefecture and its considerable charms. For residents of the prefecture, however, this moment in the spotlight apparently won't be brief enough; a recent Kyodo poll indicated most of them would rather the G-7 leaders meet somewhere else.
In recent months, residents have seen roadside signs pop up warning of upcoming traffic disruptions, and officials have been conducting emergency drills in the event of a terrorist incident, so it's understandable that local enthusiasm has been muted.
Despite hopes that the summit will invigorate the local economy and confer a lasting cachet on the area, according to the poll only 3.4 percent of people surveyed said they were "very excited" about the extravaganza, with younger residents particularly underwhelmed.