*DOC has decided to allot tourism budget to Japan

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) recently announced that it has decided to select Japan as a country to allot the $9.8 million federal budget for tourism promotion in addition to the U.K. Canada is accordingly excluded from the budget this time. Although it is not clear yet how much of the $9.8 million can be allotted to tourism promotion activities for the Japanese market, it is expected that about half of the total can be used for Japan.

This Week Headline
*DOC has decided to allot tourism budget to Japan
*Four major wholesellers jointly support the Tsunami-suffered countries
*JTB achieved the highest consolidated financial result ever
*JAL Group decides to stop all of Saipan flights as one of the structure reforms
*NWA CEO says that B787 is appropriate aircraft on Narita-NY route
*KIAC achieved ordinary profit for the first time in its ten-years history
*Kansai largely increased flight frequencies and passengers for April
*Centrair estimates operating revenue fro FY2005 at 51.3 billion yen
*Yokohama Mayor says: ÅÉRoles of Haneda and Narita need to be reexamined.ÇÉ
*The Ministry postpones providing additional slots at Haneda

*AAL CEO pays strong attention to the Asian markets

American Airlines (AAL) Chairman, President and CEO Gerard Arpey said that AAL is paying strong attention to the Asian markets as the largest U.S. carrier, when he attended the opening event of "Terminal D" at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport to the media. Also, Arpey showed his interest in introduction of Boeing 787 in the future, saying that the new aircraft is highly potential for AAL because it can help us reduce fuel cost.

This Week Headline
*AAL CEO pays strong attention to the Asian markets
+New Terminal D will officially open in this coming July
*Cambodian Ambassador refers to easier acquisition of visa for Japanese visitors
*JATA will launch a cruise travel promotion sub-committee
*HVN will open Centrair-HCMC route this summer
*ANA and Shanghai Airlines extend code-sharing flights
*JAL air transport result for March 2005 and FY2004
*SKY finished FY2004 with more profit than originally expected
*Star Flyer unveiled its black & white livery A320 mockup
*Five additional Haneda slots may beallotted to newcomer airlines

*TIA CEO hopes to welcome 12% more Japanese travelers to America for 2005

POWWOW 2005, the largest travel trading fair, opened in New York on May 5, joined by more than 5,000 traders and journalists worldwide, including about 150 traders and journalists from Japan. The opening tape-cut was conducted by Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) President & CEO Roger Dow, TIA National Chair Barbara Richardson,NYC & Company Chairman and Loews Hotels Chairman & CEO Jonathan Tisch and NYC & Company President & CEO Cristyne Nicholas.

This Week Headline
*TIA CEO hopes to welcome 12% more Japanese travelers to America for 2005
+A new country for the travel promotion budget will be decided soon
*DOC expects Japanese travelers will return to the pre-9.11 level in 2008
*The Japan-U.S. tourism exchanges working group restarts discussion
*The total amount of business transactions for FY2004 was up 10%
*JAL successfully made net profit of 30 billion yen for the full year of FY2004
*ANA achieved the highest revenue and recurring profit ever
*Travel movement during GW was less active than expected
*Centrair increased departures and arrivals during the Golden Week
*JAL signs a definitive contract with Boeing for B787 and B737
*Fukuoka gives a financial support to Star Flyer

*Charter flights from Taiwan remarkably increased in FY2004

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport recently reported that the number of international charter flights through FY2004 was largely up 43.4% to 5,904 flights, compared with a year ago. The total number was classified into 1,370 flights by Japanese airlines (9.6% more than a year ago) and 4,534 flights by foreign airlines (58.2% more than a year ago).

This Week Headline
*Charter flights from Taiwan remarkably increased in FY2004
*Daytime Haneda-Kimpo charters were preferred by individual passengers
*More charter flights for Russia will be offered this summer
*Thailand targets 1.36 million Japanese visitors for 2005
*Both Japanese departures and foreign visitors grew for March
*ANA opens Centrair-Shanghai and increases Narita-Guangzhou
*ANA begins code-sharing flights with LOT
*Domestic air traffic slightly shrunk for FY2004
*JAL air transport result for February 2005