JAPAN’S INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE IS PROGRESSIVE

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29004, 19 September 1959, Page 10

JAPAN’S INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE IS PROGRESSIVE

Kimono-clad Hostesses, World-encircling Flights [From WILLIAM GASSON, a Reuter Correspondent] ' - TOKYO. Kimono-clad air hostesses will be travelling round the world within five years when Japan’s international airline, japan Air Lines, completes its proposed development programme. Since 1954, when Japan again entered commercial airline operations, air links from here have stretched further afield. Within the next five years the company plans to launch Japan into the jet age and complete a round-the-world flight. Finance, experienced personnel and signed agreements with, Russia, West Germany, Italy, Lebanon and Pakistan are needed before Japan’s airliners encircle the globe.

A report issued on civil aviation by the Transportation Ministry said JAL would need 50,000 million yen (£50,000,000 sterling) to complete the expansion programme by 1965. Plans included buying 18 jet aircraft, including eight DC-B’s for the round-the-world and other international flights, and 18 turbojet or all-jet aircraft for domestic flights. At present the company owns 19 aircraft—lo DC-4’s, five DC-6B’s and four DC-7C’s. From a 1250 million yen (£1.250,000 sterling) loss it made in the opening year of operations in 1954, JAL’s profits rose to 234,000.000 yen (£234,000 sterling) in 1958. Shortage Of Pilots During the occupation after the Pacific war, Japanese pilots were not needed. Because of this long span of inactivity, there is now a serious shortage of personnel capable of handling commercial airliners. The present total of experienced personnel is only 200. Attempts are being made to expand the national aviation university in Miyazaki city, southern Japan, and increase the

annual number of graduates. In preparation for the jet airliners and their extended flights, civil aviation agreements have been signed with 14 countries. Agreements have yet to be signed with Russia, West Germany, Italy, Lebanon and Pakistan. State Backing With strong Government backing Japan's airline has been able to expand in spite of the intense competition offered from the 13 foreign airlines that at present make regular flights to Japan. Between them they carried 252,593 passengers to and from Japan in 1958. In 1954 they carried 114,309. JAL in its first year of operations carried 9604 overseas passengers. Last year the figure was 45.320. New services this year to Los Angeles, Seattle, and Hong Kong will strengthen JAL’s position in the commercial airline field.

Future plans are to increase a southern route to Europe transpacific flights, inaugurate a southern route to Europe and an over-the-pole route. As a result of a Japan-United States aviation agreement which was revised recently, JAL also has the

right to extend its Los Angeles flights to South American cities. To meet the needs of Japan’s jet aircraft the international airport at Haneda, Tokyo, is being reconstructed. A four-year expansion programme will extend the present runway and build a new parallel runway on reclaimed land. Japan’s only other international airport is at Osaka. About 80 smaller airfields handle domestic flights.

Domestic air travel has increased in recent years as the Japanese have become more airminded. The number of domestic air passengers in 1954 was 30,706 and this increased to 186,945 in 1957. JAL plans to increase its domestic schedules so that in 10 year’s time aircraft will be taking off every hour.

When domestic air services opened in 1952 three air companies operated five flights which linked Japan’s main cities. At present 10 domestic airlines operate 35 routes covering 11,000 miles. There are also 24 firms which have licences to operate aircraft for advertising, aerial photography, surveying, spraying, and sightseeing. In summer, months hundreds of people take their first trip in an aircraft and go on sightseeing flights over Tokyo. Pilots report that most of the elderly people clasp their hands and worship when flying over the Yasukuni shrine for war dead in Tokyo or over the Imperial Palace. The control of the increasing air traffic over Japan has now been handed to the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau. The Central Air Control centre at the United States Johnson Air Base, near Tokyo, was transferred to the Japanese Government recently. This ended a period of 12 years during which the United States Air Force controlled the flow of domestic and international aircraft over Japan.