Town In Japan Using COVID National Financial Aid Grants To Build Giant Squid Statue To Attract Tourist

 

Officials in the small fishing town of Noto in Ishikawa, Japan spent 27 million yen (USD250,000) emergency payments during the coronavirus pandemic to build a huge squid statue in the city port. According to the officials themselves, this statue should attract tourists to the city.

In Noto, the flying squid is the main delicacy and also the symbol of the city. The giant squid is 29.5 feet across, 13 feet high, and over 42 feet long. The town reportedly received 800 million yen (USD7.3 million) in the national grants, which were distributed to help regional areas deal with the economic effects of the pandemic. 

Not all residents appreciated this decoration. Many are convinced that the money received should have been used to support the population, used for medical staff or long-term care facilities instead, and not to install a "monster" in the middle of the port, especially since the pandemic is not over yet.