The town of Noto, in the Ishikawa Prefecture of Western Japan, now features a landmark ready for post-pandemic audiences.
Japan’s central government granted financial aid to localities, allowing them to use the funds in anyway that would help boost local economies.
The squid is the result of the town of Noto being given 800 million yen ($7.3 million USD), of this amount 25 million yen ($229,000 USD) was used for the squid itself.
News outlet Chunichi Shimbun reported that some locals think the funds should have been allocated for those who affected in the pandemic, whether through negative health or economic outcomes. 2,000 people signed a petition against the giant squid statue.
The squid now features on the town’s Wikipedia page as a tourist attraction. While no international spectators can visit the monument, the destination may prove popular with tourists once travel resumes. In 2020, Noto saw 68,500 visitors, with many drawn to squid–Noto’s delicacy.
Twitter users memed the new statue as soon as photos of the almost 4-metre tall and 9-metre long squid emerged.