*AAL to cut ticketing commission to travel agents of Japan

American Airlines (AAL) has decided to cut ticketing commission to travel agents of Japan from 7% today to 5% after October 1 this year, following Northwest Airlines (NWA) that has already announced the same decision on June 1 this year. The decision by NWA and AAL will probably influence JAL and ANA as well as other U.S. carriers.
JAL said that it has studied how it can deal with ticketing commission underthe current circumstance of airline business. However JAL dose not decide a particular action on commission cut.

This Week Headline
*AAL to cut ticketing commission to travel agents of Japan
*HIS resulted in 12.9% increase of consolidated midterm sales for FY2006
*Ambassador Schieffer highlights America is a safe and exciting tourist destination
*GVB will start the second tie-up campaign with JCB
*Shandong Airlines plans to fly into Kansai
*Kansai plans to separate two runways for departures and arrivals
*Kansai resulted in 5% increase of international passengers for May
*JAL reduced reduction rate of domestic passengers in May
*Yuhi Airlines will start serving Narita Heli Express from Tokyo

*JATA makes much of trilateral tourism tie-ups among Japan, China and Korea

Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) held the 49th annual assembly on June 14, when JATA Chairman Koji Shinmachi said at his opening remarks, "In the dynamic time today, the movement toward a tourism country is one of the major national policies. It is crucial for everybody in the travel industry to understand missions the travel industry must accomplish in simultaneous efforts to improve overseas, domestic and foreigner-inbound travels."

This Week Headline
*JATA makes much of trilateral tourism tie-ups among Japan, China and Korea
+Tourism industry is now on track for growth under overall economic recovery
*JTB handled 3.4 million overseas travelers for FY2005
*Qantas coexists with Jet Star in the Japanese market
*HIS to revise its midterm financial outlook upward
*Vladivostok Air hopes to serve scheduled flights for Kitakyushu
*New Caledonia can be a destination to benefit travel companies
*The Kansai second runway will open on August 2 next year
*JAL to increase Class J seats on B777 for domestic flights
*JAL air transport result for April 2006
*Star Flyer aims at net profit of 900 million yen for FY2006

*NWA has decided to cutcommission for travel companies to 5%

Northwest Airlines (NWA) notified travel companies of Japan of cutting commission on its international flights from 7% today to 5% on June 1 this year. The new commission will be effective to all of its ticketssold from September 1 this year. While NWA still makes much of business relations with travel companies of Japan, it is forced to makeevery effort to cut expenses under its business reform.

This Week Headline
*NWA has decided to cut commission for travel companies to 5%
*JAL will officially be a member of oneworld in early 2007
+JAL can play a key role for oneworld
*Japanese travelers on overseas cruises were up 6.3% for 2005
+One night cruise took the largest share in the domestic cruise market
*ANTOR designates the first Sunday of July as "Let's go Kaigai!" day
*UAL CEO shows his strong ambition for deeper relation with ANA
*Emirates is confident of success in its Dubai-Centrair flight business
*JAL ties up with Air France for international e-tickets
*Several local airports succeeded inlarge growth of international passengers

*JTB and JCB agree to launch a joint venture for innovative businesses

JTB and JCB, the Japan's leading credit card company, announced on May 30 that the pair has agreed to launch a joint venture "J & J Business Development Co." in July this year to strengthen the current businesses and to develop innovative businesses by blending travel business and credit card payment know-how. The new company will be established with 490 million yen in capital.

This Week Headline
*JTB and JCB agree to launch a jointventure for innovative businesses
+Corporate solutions or overseas businesses will be developed in the future
*JTB suffered from increase of expenses but posted more net profit for FY2005
*U.S. tourism promotional campaigns will start after the end of World Cup
+ "SeeAmerica.jp" will be renewed completely
+ Survey finds about 13 million people knew the campaigns in U.K.
*Narita South Wing of the 1st PTB opens with Star Alliance together
*Centrair achieved net profit much earlier than the initial target
*Centrair resulted in 8% reduction of passengers for April
*Narita marked 7% increase of foreigner arrivals for April
*Kansai marked year-on-year growth of international flight passengers
*EVA Airways officially announces beginning of Centrair-Taipei flights
*JTA enjoyed the highest operating revenue ever
*ANA still increased, but JAL still decreased domestic flight passengers