TokyoTomo Travel Guide

Seiji Maehara, re-nominated Minister for Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) in the cabinet of the new Prime Minister Naoto Kan, gave a press interview on June 8 and briefed the ministry’s policies on aviation, tourism, and other issues. In line with the directions given by the Prime Minister, he made it clear that the policy of tourism nation is to be pursued extensively, encouraging local municipalities and communities to develop regional tourism along with enhanced solicitation of foreign visitors to Japan. As for the aviation policy, he continued, while revitalization of Japan Airlines (JAL) is an imminent task, he will also address assurance of safety and stability of air transport business and the healthy growth of the aviation industry.

What is different in the tourism policy from Hatoyama Cabinet is that Kan Cabinet is more specific and directive in promoting regional tourism and expressly gives policy priority to an increase of foreign visitors to Japan. In fact, Maehara says he has got specific instructions from the Prime Minister, which he says is an evidence that Mr. Kan attached weight to tourism no less than Mr. Hatoyama. For inbound travel, Maehara is set to strengthen promotional activities in China market and other parts of Asia to explore new type of tourism like medical tours or whatever, in addition to the conventional tourism. Moreover, holiday dispersal for leveling off seasonal peaks of domestic travel is another task for his second term of office, he added.

Regarding the aviation policy, Maehara, unveiling the fact that his seeing to the JAL’s rehabilitation is among the Kan’s directions, affirmed his active involvement in turning it around as a robust airline is his major challenge in the second term. From the viewpoint of healthy growth of airline industry, he pointed out that it is necessary to continue to tackle the problems carried over from the first term; namely, to take a new look at the government’s special account budget for airport construction, and to study feasibility of consolidated management of Kansai and Itami airports on concession basis. Review of taxes and public dues levied on airlines must be conducted to improve the business circumstances not only for JAL but for other Japanese airlines.

Source: Travel Vision

Travel Vision Inc. provides information on the travel industry in Japan via "Daily Travel Vision", a Japanese-language e-mail newsletter, and the "Travel Vision" website. There are nearly 110,000 people working in the Japanese travel industry, and Travel Vision is proud to be bringing travel news to more than 30,000 people through Daily Travel Vision.

All Nippon Airways and Air Macau has announced code-sharing and reciprocal mileage agreement to commence from July 1. In the agreement, ANA will place its NH flight code on Air Macau’s Narita-Macau and Osaka-Macau flights, and Air Macau placing its NX code on ANA’s domestic flights. Through this arrangement, ANA and Air Macau will expand their respective networks into Southern China and Japan, giving passengers increased convenience and ease when traveling between the two countries.

At the same time, ANA and Air Macau will also link their Frequent Flyer Programs (FFP), allowing ANA Mileage Club (AMC) members and Air Macau’s Privileges to accrue and redeem mileage on one another flight networks.

Details of the code-sharing flights:

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Qatar Airways (QR) started operating the Narita/Kansai/Doha route on April 26. The airline is the first carrier from the Middle East to operate daily out of Narita. Capitalizing on a growing demand during Japan’s Golden Week spring holidays, Qatar Airways launched its new service on April 26. The advance booking indicator for flights during the Golden Week period showed a “better-than-expected forecast,” said Tomohiko Matsumoto, the airline’s General Manager for Japan. Being a long-haul carrier, Qatar Airways reported a vibrant traffic demand out of Tokyo’s Narita during the first half of the Golden Week period and another strong demand for returning passengers from Doha during the second half of the Golden Week.

Qatar Airways’ Seoul/Kansai/Doha route is now rescheduled to be operated solely on the Japan route. Its Kansai/Doha route has posted an average seat load factor over 80 percent for the past several months. The airline endeavors to maintain the current high seat load factor, said Matsumoto. The inaugural flight from Narita showed a seat load factor exceeding well 75 percent with passengers boarding at Kansai filling nearly half of the cabin, it was reported. Aircraft put into service is Airbus A330-200 configured with 12 First class, 18 Business class and 208 Economy class seats totaling 238. Newly operating from Tokyo Narita, Qatar Airways has enhanced its network serving 89 cities. San Paulo and Buenos Aires will be added to the airline’s network in June as its new destinations.

Source: Travel Vision

Travel Vision Inc. provides information on the travel industry in Japan via "Daily Travel Vision", a Japanese-language e-mail newsletter, and the "Travel Vision" website. There are nearly 110,000 people working in the Japanese travel industry, and Travel Vision is proud to be bringing travel news to more than 30,000 people through Daily Travel Vision.