TokyoTomo Travel Guide

Liaison conference of tourism associations’ chairmen, composed of 18 tourism-related organizations, drew up a joint proposal on policy-making for Tourism Nation and submitted it on December 15 to Kiyomi Tsujimoto, Vice Minister, and Yuji Fujimoto, Parliamentary Secretary, both at Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). The proposal deals with pressing issues in achieving the objectives outlined in the Tourism Nation Promotion Basic Plan. It recounts a number of tasks to tackle to reach the goals, for instance, facilitation in the process of passport acquisition for achieving the objective of 20 million overseas travelers.

The proposal claims that, in the passport application, there should be more service counters nationwide to process the application at such locations as post offices, or that travel agencies should be enabled to handle the application on behalf of travelers. It must be studied, the paper recommends, that application by mail or online becomes acceptable, and passport acquisition fee is reduced. Moreover, the paper advises promotion of overseas educational trips and beef-up of Japan-based airlines’ competitiveness. With regard to vitalization of charter flight operation from regional airports, it recommends to entrust C.I.Q. operation at those airports to local governments or private sectors.

In the proposal for achieving the goal of 20 million foreign visitors, the paper points out the necessity of renewing the catch line and logo. Citing the examples of the United Kingdom’s “Visit Britain,” Korea’s “Korea Sparkling,” and Thailand’s “Amazing Thailand,” it advises to use simple and familiar English words. It also insists that some manual should be made available for local governments and tourist facilities to develop their websites in foreign languages.

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.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan and Taiwan agreed to inaugurate new services between Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and Taipei’s Matsuyama Airport after the completion of the fourth runway at Haneda which is slated for October 2010. The decision came after the respective private sectors – Interchange Association, Japan, and Taiwan’s East Asia Relation’s Commission agreed to allow both sides to operate four daily flights using daytime departure and arrival slots. Asked to comment on the new agreement, JAL’s President Haruka Nishimatsu said that it is a significant achievement which should lead to further expansion of relations between Japan and Taiwan and Japan Airlines intends to increase services from Haneda with two daily flights to Taipei’s Matsuyama. All Nippon Airways also said that it will consider starting to operate the route as it becomes an excellent opportunity to deepen the exchanges between the two countries. Taiwan’s Eva Air (BR) revealed that it is planning on new services from Matsuyama to Haneda welcoming the opportunity.

The agreement this time also includes a substantial increase of the weekly flight frequency from 28 to 45 between Kansai and Taiwan as well as Chubu and Taiwan. It also expands beyond rights from Kansai and Chubu International Airports from the present two destinations to eleven destinations including five US cities and six European cities, six of which are passenger flight destinations. They are Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Moscow, Amsterdam and Prague. On the other hand, Seattle, one of the designated destinations for both cargo and passenger, is eliminated. The new agreement enables Taiwanese airlines to operate services from Taipei to Europe via Japan. Besides, the Okinawa/Taipei services are also enhanced, granting Eva Air a right to operate passenger flights between Taipei and Okinawa.

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.

Japan Airlines signed the loan agreement with Development Bank of Japan on November 24 to secure funds necessary for its uninterrupted flight operations, which is based on the “Measures for the Revitalization of Japan Airlines“ announced on November 10 by the related five ministers including the Chief Cabinet Secretary and the Minster of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). The measures are to grant absolute financial support for JAL to ensure the airline’s safe and uninterrupted flight operations during the company’s business restructuring. During the previous results briefing, the airline explained that it would need fund injection of approximately 125 billion yen by the end of fiscal year 2009 closing in March, 2010. It is assumed that Development Bank of Japan provided JAL some 100 billion yen in emergency loans. The airline expects to ask for the remaining approximately 25 billion yen through commercial banks.

The “Measures for the Revitalization of Japan Airlines” stipulates the following procedures. 1) In the event JAL advises MLIT of a possible interference of its flight operations, e.g., for the reason of cash shortage, should such an event occur, the Minister is to confirm, after consulting with the related ministers, that the customers’ convenience and corporate activities could be seriously affected. 2) Based on such confirmation, the Minister is to review the measures therein which include budget necessary for the adequate credit enhancement and its related legislative actions in terms of financing Japan Airlines through the respective financial organizations. The financing in the amount of 100 billion yen is expected to be government-backed.

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.