Industry Hospitality Key people Toshio Motoya Website www.apa.co.jp | Headquarters Japan Brands APA Hotels Founder Toshio Motoya | |
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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. It also owns the Vancouver-based Coast Hotels. There are plans to open more hotels in the United States in the future.
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Political 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 right wing. 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". Such views are known to create negative feelings in neighboring countries such as China and Korea. These books and publications, widely distributed in APA Hotels, are only published in Japanese and English. 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.
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. This greatly reduced construction costs but put customers at risk as Japan is amongst the world's most earthquake prone countries.