Noto, located in Ishikawa prefecture on the Japan Sea coast, spent ¥25m (£164,000) on the 13-metre-long marine creature, according to the Chunichi Shimbun. The local newspaper quoted officials as saying that the flying squid was part of a tourism drive to help the area’s virus-hit economy. The pink-and-white creature features flared tentacles and an opening below its beak where people can pose for photographs.