HITA, Oita Prefecture--On a recent day, an "alien" with large black eyes showed up at an onsen ryokan here. 

Welcomed by the proprietress of the inn, the guest, who identified himself as a “spaceman,” was presented with a bottle of fizzy water and then headed for the open-air bath for an out-of-this-world soak.

The soda is a gift from the ryokan’s operator for visitors who call themselves "aliens."

As Oita Airport in the prefecture will become the first in Asia to launch a satellite into space from a plane as early as by the end of 2022, a succession of products and services have been pitched to entertain “space people who could appear” there.

The unique tourism promotion campaign is becoming increasingly heated, leading to a range of related offerings, such as an accommodation fee discount and a college study program for extraterrestrials, in both the public and private sectors.

The ryokan in Hita started catering to visitors from outside the Earth in response to the prefecture’s call for spa hotels to provide services designed especially for extraterrestrial guests who pop up in the region.

More than 40 accommodation facilities have reportedly come forward to welcome self-described extraterrestrials with special gifts under the prefecture’s endeavor, which will continue through Feb. 28.

A manager of an onsen ryokan in Beppu, also in the prefecture, said guests from outside the planet can receive a discount of up to 10,000 yen ($87.30).

“We would like to contribute to Oita Prefecture in some form as it develops with the spaceport,” the hotel manager said. “Another reason is that visitors telling us that they are space people appeared amusing.”

VIRGIN ORBIT HOPES TO LAUNCH IN 2022

In April 2020, Oita Prefecture and U.S.-based space explorer Virgin Orbit signed a partnership agreement for Oita Airport to serve as an air-to-orbit launch base to send out satellites.

Under the plan, satellites will not be vertically launched. An aircraft will take off from the existing airstrip at the airport carrying a rocket with a satellite mounted, so that the rocket will be separated horizontally at high altitudes to enter orbit.

Virgin Orbit asked Oita Prefecture for use of the airport, which has a 3,000-meter airstrip. The prefecture has nurtured cutting-edge technologies, including a satellite jointly developed by local businesses.

Satellite launches are expected to take place on 20 occasions over the 10 years from 2022.

Inspired by the news, Dai Taura, 29, president of a computer application developer, who is involved in local revitalization in Bungo-Ono in the prefecture, began spearheading the drive to enliven the huge undertaking.

Believing “extraterrestrials would come if a spaceport is installed,” Taura and 30 business operator acquaintances set up a tourism promotion committee for aliens in October.

As head of the panel, Taura had the 30 member enterprises suggest products and services targeting those from outside the Earth through social media on Dec. 1.

“We have declared the establishment of Earth’s first prefecture welcoming space people,” Taura said proudly.

Kenmei Kodama, 60, a committee member who runs a bicycle shop in Oita, created a bike from bamboo, using a traditional method.

The bicycle is outfitted with a basket on its front to “put an alien in it” like in the iconic scene from the U.S. film “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” where a child pedals through the air by cycle while carrying a space creature passenger. 

“Some may think we are taking things too far, but going all-out to achieve something must be worthy of respect,” said Kodama. “We hope the excitement from the planned introduction of a spaceport in Oita Prefecture will be shared among residents.”

Kunio Ikari, 38, a lecturer at Oita University’s faculty of economics, touts a lesson he is offering as being useful even for aliens because his education program will “allow extraterrestrials to learn business management in order to take over the Earth.”

“I want to provide encouragement for the dream campaign,” said Ikari, explaining his motivation. “For those considering starting space-relevant businesses in Oita Prefecture, this will be a big opportunity as well.”

Under the project, a store operator is offering a “manju” dumpling that is billed as turning extraterrestrial beings into humans if they eat it.

Taura said his tourism promotion panel for aliens will not only target extraterrestrials but also aims to make society more inclusive through presenting its own definition of an alien, which covers a variety of human beings as well.

“It (the word ‘alien’) does not refer exclusively to living creatures outside the Earth,” he said. “We will boost diversity so people will be able to accept those different from themselves without discrimination.”

OITA PREFECTURE CLIMBS ABOARD

Jumping on the bandwagon, the Oita prefectural government posted videos of “sightings” of extraterrestrials.

These feature a flying saucer shaped like a pail in the sky over the prefecture’s Beppu; an apparent spaceman taking a bath in an onsen; and an extraterrestrial creature enjoying a front-engine bus ride at the Showa no Machi tourism site, which boasts the ambiance of the Showa Era (1926-1989), in Bungo-Takada.

Oita Prefecture likewise has released images of a spaceman touring sightseeing spots in the prefecture on its Instagram account.

The prefectural government organized a tourism promotional event in Tokyo on Dec. 13.

At the site, it promised to “evolve into an onsen-featured prefecture that will be loved on a cosmic scale,” though the region had previously promoted itself with its quality spa resorts across Japan.

Oita Prefecture is considering joining forces with citizens.

“We will hold talks with the private-led tourism promotion committee for space people to reach possible areas of cooperation,” said a prefectural representative.

According to Oita Prefecture, the spaceport project will have an estimated economic effect totaling 10.2 billion yen over the course of five years from 2022.

A financial forecast shows 3.1 billion yen will come from management costs of the launch base, including fuel procurement and equipment rental charges.

While 1.5 billion yen will be related to the construction of the rocket depot and other buildings, 5.6 billion yen will come from sightseeing revenue deriving from the growing numbers of visitors and school trips, according to the estimate.