The Outcome of the Bilateral Consultations
on Aviation between Japan and the United States
After five days of consultations in Washington D.C., from December 7 to 11, the delegations of the two governments reached an agreement on an open-skies aviation arrangement, which would liberalize the air services for both passenger and cargo flights between Japan and the United States.
The arrangement will allow both Japanese and U.S. airlines to have freedom on such matters as the selection of routes and pricing, and will provide the airlines with more opportunities for cooperative marketing arrangements with each other.
The agreement also included such new developments as four new pairs of slots for airlines of each at Tokyo’s nearby Haneda Airport for scheduled flights between Japan and the U.S., as well as an increase in airline slots at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport.
The two governments hope that the signature on this new arrangement, after necessary domestic procedures are completed, would take place not later than October 2010.
It is highly expected that this new arrangement will be conducive to more competition in the aviation market and better services for consumers of both Japan and the United States.
