Japanese town uses coronavirus relief funds to splash out on giant squid statue | South China Morning Post

Eyebrows are being raised after a small port town in northern Japan splashed out over 25 million yen (US$229,000) in government subsidies meant for the community on a gigantic statue of a squid. The local authority in the town of Noto, in Ishikawa Prefecture, received the funds from the central government as part of its rural revitalisation and support campaign for communities hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic . Noto is a busy fishing port famous for its squid catch, but it has also become increasingly reliant on tourism to support hotels and shops selling local delicacies and products. Visitor…