Despite the challenges posed during COVID-19, Western Japan’s hotel industry has recovered to pre-pandemic levels largely due the influx of inbound travelers seeking to capitalize on the weak yen. Prefectures in Western Japan accounted for approximately 40 percent of all hotel guests in Japan. With Osaka set to host World Expo 2025 followed by the opening of Japan’s first major integrated resort in 2030, many hotels in the Kansai region are looking for innovative ways to attract domestic customers as well as appeal to a wider international audience. These events provide critical opportunities for hotels to try new U.S. products and develop new relationships with U.S. suppliers and organizations.