Abstract
Many local governments and related organizations create their own characters, called, "Local Characters" or "Yurukyara" to promote their cities and towns. Authors conducted a survey to learn what are the aims of local characters, how well their aims were fulfilled, how are such characters used, what the status of intellectual properties and their licensing, etc. Many local governments felt the aims were fulfilled to some extent, but the characters still not know widely. They faced difficulties in keeping necessary staff people, and maintaining doll suit physically. Most governments held intellectual properties themselves, but licensed such characters often free of charge.
