Japanese region awards Godzilla citizenship

It seems the Japanese region of Shinjuku is willing to forgive the past transgressions of the fictional monster Gojira, also known as Godzilla.

The grumpy reptilian was granted a “special residency certificate” in the regional area of the capital Tokyo ahead of the release of two new films about the infamous villain, according to TIME magazine.

In pictures from the apparent ceremony, the disposition of the unlikely tourism ambassador appears unchanged, although at one point he seems to bow his head in an uncharacteristic display of respect.

The birth certificate lists the birth date of the creature as April 9, 1954 – the release date of the first Godzilla film.

The innovative publicity stunt aims to attract more visitors to the region which around 17,000 people call home, reported the BBC.

But it’s a somewhat puzzling marketing initiative as the notorious monster is known to trample on humans at will and toss buildings aside like LEGO pieces.