Come to Japan and get a free PDA!

Visitors to the Japanese city of Tokyo are reportedly being offered a free personal digital assistant (PDA) to help them find their way around the city. According to the Sydney Morning Herald website, the devices, which are available until the end of the month, are pre-programmed with maps, a navigation system, an electronic tour guide, language help and a telephone. The initiative will last until the end of March, the website reports, but could become permanent if the trial is deemed successful by telecommunications firms. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the scheme is part of a campaign – called Yokoso! Japan, or Welcome Japan – designed to bring more tourists into the country. Some 16 million Japanese people travel abroad each year, whereas just five million visit the country annually. Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad Ltd