The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) is in the process of negotiating with Japan-based Sanrio Corp to use Hello Kitty on its Taroko Express trains in a bid to gain publicity and increase patronage, sources said.
The railway operator has tried before to get approval to use the iconic brand after EVA Airways Corp won permission in 2005 to put images of the feline character on its planes’ hulls, interiors and accessories, sources said.
EVA said that since it received the rights to use the Hello Kitty images, 85 percent of its flights on planes bearing the brand have been full.
Photo: Liu Li-jen, Taipei Times
With the TRA to receive two sets of both Puyuma Express and Taroko Express trains from Japanese manufacturers by the end of this year — an addition to a larger order — the operator said it is in talks with Sanrio to decorate one of the Taroko Express trains in Hello Kitty livery, the sources said.
The TRA has asked EVA Air to help consult with Sanrio due to the airline’s success in negotiating use of the character, the sources said, adding that it had met with Sanrio at least three times.
The TRA has provided the interior schematics to the layout of the Taroko Express to Sanrio, which suggested using Hello Kitty imagery on seats, as well as logos in the trains and on LED displays, they said.
Sanrio also suggested redesigning trolleys used in the train and selling a Hello Kitty version of TRA lunchboxes, they said.
However, the TRA said it wants to incorporate some Taiwanese themes into the carriages, such as pictures of the National Palace Museum and Alishan (阿里山), adding that it is still in negotiations with Sanrio over the design concepts on accessories.
According to TRA officials, the agency concluded negotiations for 17 sets of Puyuma Express trains at a time when the yen was depreciating, which led to surplus funds that were used to purchase the four sets of trains to arrive this year.
This is an opportunity for the agency to improve its image, the officials said, adding that the railway operator hopes to announce draft plans for the venture in the middle of this month.
The potential success of the TRA’s venture comes after Taiwan High Speed Rail Co had also been in talks with Sanrio regarding an agreement to use Hello Kitty, but the financially challenged company eventually dropped the idea because of the cost of royalty fees.
Civil society groups yesterday protested outside the Legislative Yuan, decrying Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) efforts to pass three major bills that they said would seriously harm Taiwan’s democracy, and called to oust KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁). It was the second night of the three-day “Bluebird wintertime action” protests in Taipei, with organizers announcing that 8,000 people attended. Organized by Taiwan Citizen Front, the Economic Democracy Union (EDU) and a coalition of civil groups, about 6,000 people began a demonstration in front of KMT party headquarters in Taipei on Wednesday, organizers said. For the third day, the organizers asked people to assemble
Taipei is participating in Osaka’s Festival of Lights this year, with a 3m-tall bubble tea light installation symbolizing Taiwan’s bubble tea culture. The installation is designed as a bubble tea cup and features illustrations of Taipei’s iconic landmarks, such as Taipei 101, the Red House and North Gate, as well as soup dumplings and the matchmaking deity the Old Man Under the Moon (月下老人), affectionately known as Yue Lao (月老). Taipei and Osaka have collaborated closely on tourism and culture since Taipei first participated in the festival in 2018, the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism said. In February, Osaka represented
Taiwanese professional baseball should update sports stadiums and boost engagement to enhance fans’ experience, Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) commissioner Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) told the Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times) in an interview on Friday. The league has urged Farglory Group and the Taipei City Government to improve the Taipei Dome’s outdated equipment, including relatively rudimentary television and sound systems, and poor technology, he said. The Tokyo Dome has markedly better television and sound systems, despite being 30 years old, because its managers continually upgraded its equipment, Tsai said. In contrast, the Taipei Dome lacked even a room for referees
POOR IMPLEMENTATION: Teachers welcomed the suspension, saying that the scheme disrupted school schedules, quality of learning and the milk market A policy to offer free milk to all school-age children nationwide is to be suspended next year due to multiple problems arising from implementation of the policy, the Executive Yuan announced yesterday. The policy was designed to increase the calcium intake of school-age children in Taiwan by drinking milk, as more than 80 percent drink less than 240ml per day. The recommended amount is 480ml. It was also implemented to help Taiwanese dairy farmers counter competition from fresh milk produced in New Zealand, which is to be imported to Taiwan tariff-free next year when the Agreement Between New Zealand and