Hai-sai!

My name is Takashi Uemoto, and I am honored to assume the role of Chairman of the Okinawa Resort Wedding Association. I also serve as the Director of the President’s Office at Okinawa Watabe Wedding Co., Ltd.

With great responsibility comes a heightened sense of dedication. I am increasingly determined to help shape an even brighter future for Okinawa.

Our mission is simple yet powerful: "From Japan’s paradise to lovers around the world."

We aim to share the joy and excitement of celebrating life’s most precious milestones in Okinawa—with its breathtaking nature and warm-hearted people—with more and more people through new connections and heartfelt experiences.

Our goal is to achieve 15,000 weddings and 15,000 photo weddings in Okinawa by 2030, including 3,400 inbound couples, of which 1,000 will come from English-speaking countries.

According to national market data*, about 475,000 couples marry each year in Japan, with 52% of them holding ceremonies and receptions. Yet, only about 6%—approximately 14,800 couples—choose resort weddings. Of these, about 72% (10,648 couples) select Okinawa. Meanwhile, photo weddings are growing significantly, with 95,000 couples, or 20% of all marrying couples, choosing this option. (*Based on Recruit’s wedding awareness survey and Zexy’s wedding trend survey.)

By 2030, the number of marriages is expected to decline to around 400,000 annually. Even so, resort weddings are projected to rise to 20,000, with 13,500 of those expected to take place in Okinawa. Including inbound demand, our 15,000-wedding goal remains very much within reach.

Internationally, markets like China, Korea, and Taiwan still see high marriage rates. In China alone, the Ministry of Civil Affairs reported 6.1 million marriages in 2024. If just 0.1% chose Okinawa, we could welcome about 6,000 couples—a huge opportunity.

To realize this vision, enhancing both organizational capacity and global communication is essential.

In terms of organization, we are strengthening our foundation through active committee work. Committees such as Branding, Photo & Movie, Gifts, and Human Resources Development focus on elevating service quality. Other groups like the YONNA (Northern Region Revitalization) Committee, Miyakojima Branch, and Local Wedding Promotion Committee aim to enhance regional engagement. Committees for Inbound Promotion, Wedding Fairs, Entertainment, and Member Satisfaction also support broader goals, including market expansion and building a globally competitive Okinawan wedding brand—all with the support of 149 participating member companies.

On the communication front, we’re expanding multilingual promotion for Okinawa’s world-class products and services. We also emphasize local culture and unique resources to deepen emotional resonance. Our traditional “wedding fair” has evolved into a “festival,” allowing couples to experience Okinawa’s charm as a dating destination—broadening outreach to potential customers.

With our mission—“From Japan’s paradise to lovers around the world”—we now add a bold new vision: to become the world’s most beloved destination for couples. We are committed to building a unique Okinawan model where couples from around the globe are warmly welcomed by the people of Okinawa with "utouimuchi"—the spirit of heartfelt hospitality.

Takashi Uemoto
Chairman, Okinawa Resort Wedding Association
Director of the President’s Office, Okinawa Watabe Wedding Co., Ltd.