HONG KONG, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Officials from Hong Kong and Japan launched here Friday the Hong Kong-Japan Tourism Exchange Year 2009 to foster tourism and cultural interflows between the two places.

    Commissioner for Tourism of Hong Kong Margaret Fong and Commissioner of Japan Tourism Agency Yoshiaki Hompo signed a memorandum of cooperation to signify the two sides' commitment to drive success for the tourism exchange year.

    Speaking at the memorandum signing ceremony, Fong said Hong Kong and Japan are important partners in tourism and she believed that the tourism exchange year 2009 will provide an excellent platform to advance the development and promotion of tourism between the two places.

    "Hong Kong is one of the most important markets under the Visit Japan Campaign," Yoshiaki Hompo said at the ceremony, "there is an increase of nearly 30 percent of Hong Kong tourists to Japan in 2008 from the previous year."

    "We are expecting a good outcome through the activities organized by both Japan and Hong Kong," he added.

    The Tourism Exchange Year 2009 initiative will bring a series of exciting programs covering a variety of themes lined up in both places, including dramas and movies, cultural and sports events, local delicacies, green pleasures and student cultural exchange programs.

    A special logo has been created with the slogan "Sharing Smiles, Shaking Hands" to deliver the wishes.