Japan will on Monday appoint the mouthless feline cartoon character Hello Kitty as a goodwill tourism ambassador in China and Hong Kong, with the aim of promoting visits here, Kyodo News has reported...

It will mark the first time a cartoon character has become a goodwill ambassador for Japan...

In March, the foreign ministry appointed the nation's beloved [earless] cartoon robo-cat Doraemon as a charm ambassador in a bid to promote the nation's culture and win the hearts of future world leaders.