APA Group

APA Group
Industry Hospitality
Headquarters Japan
Key people
 Toshio Motoya
Brands APA Hotels
Website www.apa.co.jp/ Edit this on Wikidata

APA Group (Always Pleasant Amenities) is a Japanese hospitality group that operates APA Hotels. APA Hotels operates the largest group of hotels in Japan with more than 150 properties. APA recently expanded into the United States in 2015. On November 13, 2015, APA opened the APA Hotel Woodbridge (formerly a Hilton) in Iselin, New Jersey. APA acquired the Vancouver-based Coast Hotels in 2016. There are plans to open more hotels in the United States in the future.[1]

Controversy

APA Group distributes writings and publications written by its president, Toshio Motoya, a strong supporter of political and historical views aligned with those of Japan's far-right. For example, in a series of interviews published online from APA Group's magazine Apple Town, Motoya claimed that "Japanese aggression, the Nanking Massacre, and comfort women" were "fabricated stories" or "fictitious".[2][3] Such views are known to create negative feelings in neighboring countries such as China and Korea. These publications are widely distributed in APA Hotels. In addition, Motoya disclosed in his books that he plans to give maximum support to the Abe administration to rebuke China and Korea on these historical issues. Some Chinese tourist organizations are boycotting the chain.[4]

The Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying stated that the China National Tourism Administration has requested to all Chinese companies and websites to not conduct business with APA, and for people to not go to their hotels, due to the APA's practices of provocation and distortion of history.[5]

Safety

In 2007, several APA hotels were discovered to have faked their earthquake safety data with some buildings having only 70 percent of the legally required structural strength.[6] This greatly reduced construction costs but put customers at risk as Japan is amongst the world's most earthquake prone countries.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Japan's APA Hotel in $160M Takeover of 41 Canadian-US Okabe, Coast Hotels". ExitHub. 2016-08-07. Retrieved 2017-11-27.
  2. ↑ "The Constitution of Japan Should be Reformed Starting From the Preamble". Apple Town. Apple Town. Retrieved 15 Jan 2017.
  3. ↑ "The United States is Bound by the Curse of the Atomic Bombs". Apple Town. Apple Town. Retrieved 15 Jan 2017.
  4. ↑ Japanese hotel chain's books denying Nanjing Massacre spark criticism in China, The Mainichi (January 18, 2017).
  5. ↑ "Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on January 24, 2017". Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China. 24 January 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  6. ↑ Osaka shuts down Apa hotel due to quake-safety flaws, Japan Times (February 15, 2007).
  7. ↑ Osaka shuts down Apa hotel due to quake-safety flaws, Japan Times (February 15, 2007).


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