Connect with us

Social Stories

Japanese Town Uses Almost RM1 Million From Covid Relief Fund To Build Giant Squid Statue

Published

4E754C69 5429 456D 92F6 E8FFBFA996F2
Source: BBC & The Smart Local

Follow us on Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest stories and updates daily.

The decision to build the statue instead of using the Covid relief fund to, well, mitigate the effect of the pandemic has raised eyebrows in Japan.

Noto, a seaside town in the Hōsu District of Japan has been in the news for the wrong reasons recently after unveiling a 13-metre-long giant squid statue at its port. As reported by the BBC, the giant squid cost the town 25 million yen or around RM939,706 as a reference to the town’s famous delicacy of flying squid.

However, the most controversial part about the giant tentacles statue is that it was built using emergency funding the Japanese government had allocated to the town for dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. Currently, Japan is battling with a surge of Covid-19 cases with its capital, Tokyo being put under a state of emergency.

While the town of Noto has had very low number of Covid-19 cases, the pandemic has still affected them due to the significant decrease of tourists. Tourism has been one of the key economic contributor to the town, which is located in Ishikawa Prefecture on Japan’s central-west coast.

3FE486EB 0C47 4457 A673 A81597FB9D12
Source: BBC

While spending almost RM1 million from the Covid relief fund on a giant squid statue may seem like a waste of money, Noto officials disagree. Instead, they defended the statue by claiming that it is part of a long term plan to lure tourists back to the town after the pandemic is over.

Well, let’s hope the plan is successful then. In fact, how many of you have heard about the town of Noto before they erected this giant tentacles statue? This stunt indirectly created attention towards the town which just showcases that there’s no such thing as bad publicity.

 

Also read: Beware: Venomous Octopus That Can Kill Up To 26 Adults Was Sold In Thai Night Market

pjimage 2020 12 03T114954.818

Follow us on Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest stories and updates daily.



Just In

fastft 1 fastft 1
News10 hours ago

Group of Non Fasters Evade Arrest Following Raid at Restaurant in Kedah

During the ongoing Ramadan period, authorities have been vigilant in identifying those who are eligible to fast but refuse to...

collage 66 collage 66
News14 hours ago

M’sian Factory Worker Dies After Colliding With PDRM Motorcycle During Police Escort

A man died after the Yamaha 135LC motorcycle he was riding collided with a police escort motorcycle at Kilometer 5.3...

certft certft
News16 hours ago

Forged Birth Certificate Syndicate Busted, Documents Allegedly Sold for Up to RM10,000

A syndicate involved in forging documents for late birth registrations is reportedly charging between RM8,000 and RM10,000 for each processed...

masft masft
News17 hours ago

MAS Flight from Manila Forced to Return After One of Its Engines Catches Fire, No Injuries Reported

A Malaysia Airlines flight from Manila to Kuala Lumpur had to return to Ninoy Aquino International Airport yesterday afternoon (March...

collage 61 collage 61
News2 days ago

Court Tells Aliff Syukri to Enter Defence Over Obscene Raya Music Video Charges from 3 Years Ago

Malaysian businessman and self-proclaimed number 1 singer, Dato Seri Aliff Syukri, released his latest Raya song, Raya ya ya, last...

collage 59 collage 59
News2 days ago

14yo School Athlete in Malacca Dies After Collapsing During Recess Time

A secondary school male student in Malacca passed away after collapsing near the field while walking to the canteen yesterday...

collage 57 collage 57
News2 days ago

Kajang Man Punches & Breaks Nose of Unlicensed 17yo Driver After Misunderstanding, Gets Arrested by PDRM

A Malaysian man allegedly punched and broke the nose of a teenage driver in Kajang, causing the latter to bleed....

riotft riotft
News2 days ago

PDRM Arrest 13 Foreign Workers for Attempting to Incite Riot Following Protest in Teluk Intan

The police have arrested 13 foreign factory workers in connection with a riot after a viral clip showed hundreds of...

Announcement

Latest Videos



TRENDING TODAY