This article came out on the 12th, Kumamon’s birthday.
“TV show writer Kundo Koyama, best known for his work on the ‘Iron Chef’ cooking series, was charged with promoting the prefecture when a new bullet train service linking Kumamoto with Osaka was being launched in recent years. Koyama then asked celebrated art director Manabu Mizuno to create a campaign logo and threw in the cuddly Kumamon as a bonus.”
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/03/12/business/mascot-kumamon-turns-cute-into-bear-market/
