Godzilla 
honoured 
by region 
he ravaged

In honour, a Godzilla-size head towering 52 metres (171ft) above ground level was unveiled at an office of Toho, the studio behind the original 1954 film.

Toho is shooting a comeback movie this year after a decade-long hiatus.

Godzilla’s standing has had its ups and downs but its stature has been reinstated after a Hollywood version, released last year, was a global hit.

At an awards ceremony next to the giant Godzilla head, an actor in a rubber suit waddled over to the Shinjuku mayor.

But a Toho executive accepted the residency certificate in Godzilla’s place as the suit’s claws are not designed to grab anything.

The longtime belief is that any place Godzilla destroys in the movies is sure to prosper in real life, Shinjuku mayor Kenichi Yoshizumi said.

Shinjuku, known for its down-home bars and noodle restaurants, has been flattened in three movies. If Godzilla chooses to return, it can now stomp on its own giant head.