On May 17, DP International Department Director-General Hiroe Makiyama attended a breakfast meeting hosted by New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English and Minister of Trade Todd McClay during their recent visit to Japan. (photo: Prime Minister English talks with Makiyama during the meeting)
Makiyama referred to New Zealand’s policies aimed at making the country an attractive movie shooting location by providing subsidies and tax benefits in particular, and also expressed her interest in the country’s Ministry for Women.
Regarding this matter, Makiyama mentioned that a major Hollywood movie company filming a movie set in Japan, had found a mountain that resembled Mount Fuji in New Zealand and filmed the movie there instead. English stated that his government is active in promoting measures to encourage the use of his country as a location for filming movies such as The Lord of the Rings, with a view to generating tourism to such areas.
Makiyama also said that in a previous meeting with former NZ Minister for Women Pansy Wong, she had heard that the government was encouraging women to enter careers that had formerly been considered to be jobs for men. English stated that they are continuing to send women to work in fields such as forestry and construction.
With Minister of Trade Todd McClay