TOKYO January 16: New international routes this summer from Tokyo's Narita Airport to Hanoi, Vietnam and Xiamen in the Peoples Republic of China and a new Nagoya-Shanghai service are key features of the JAL Group's operational and fleet plan for FY2002, starting April 1.

Also included in the plan are increases of frequency to other destinations in China and Korea.

JAL will also open three new domestic routes from July between Tokyo and the regional cities of Toyama, Okayama and Yamaguchi-Ube, after an increase in slots in at Tokyo's domestic hub airport at Haneda.

The JAL route and equipment plan for FY2002 takes into account steadily recovering international traffic demand, badly hit by the September terror attacks in the USA. The fall in demand reached bottom in November last year when international passenger traffic fell by 40 percent on the previous year, same month, and has been slowly improving since.

A new, second runway, set to open at Narita Airport on April 18, will present a big business opportunity because of the expansion of slots at the congested airport. Additional slots at Haneda will enable domestic expansion.

From June, JAL will launch three weekly flights on from Tokyo to Xiamen (Amoy). A twice-weekly service to Hanoi will start from July. The new Nagoya-Shanghai service will start on April 18.

In addition to the new international routes to Hanoi and Xiamen, JAL will increase frequencies on the following routes: Tokyo-Shanghai, Tokyo-Quingdao, Nagoya-Beijing, Tokyo-Seoul and Tokyo-Pusan.

On international routes where flight frequencies have been reduced or suspended due to the post-September 11 fall in demand, JAL will reinstate service according to demand recovery trends (see details).

From July, the new JAL domestic destinations of Toyama and Okayama will be served three times daily from Tokyo and the Yamaguchi-Ube route will have two flights a day.

JAL will also increase frequency on three domestic routes: Nagoya-Okinawa and Itami (Osaka)-Sapporo from April and Haneda-Hakodate from June.

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Regional jet operator J-Air, based at West Hiroshima Airport, will continue an aggressive expansion following the carrier's introduction of CRJ-200 regional jets in 2001. J-Air plans three new routes: West Hiroshima to Miyazaki and Sapporo and Nagoya to Narita.

International cargo services will also benefit from the new runway at Narita, helping JAL to improve its cargo network. International cargo flight frequency will increase on some Europe and Asian routes.

Basic plans for 747F cargo freighter operations are as follows:

Transpacific: 17 flights per week (same as the current level)

Europe: London route (currently 3 per week), up by two flights from September, serving Stansted (not Heathrow). Tokyo-Paris flights will be routed via Amsterdam in the periods April-May and July-September.

S.E.Asia: Tokyo-Seoul, up by one to 4 per week from April. Tokyo-Shanghai, up one a week from July to two per week.

FLEET PLANS

Fleet plans include introduction of a 767-300ER aircraft to cope with increased airport capacity at Narita and Haneda.

JAL is disposing of its MD-11 fleet of 10 airplanes, and plans five retirements in FY2002. New aircraft introductions for JAL in total will be three 767-300ER and three 777-200ER aircraft.

A new 747 freighter - a former JAL passenger aircraft converted to cargo carrier - will be introduced to service although the operational cargo fleet strength will remain at nine aircraft.

Subsidiary J-Air will acquire two new Bombardier CRJ-200 50-seat jets in April 2002, increasing its fleet of regional jet to four aircraft.

As of March 31 2003, the planned total JAL Group fleet strength will be 171 aircraft, up by two on March 31 2002.

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For further information:

Geoffrey Tudor

Director, International Public Relations

JAPAN AIRLINES

Tel: 81-3-5460-3109

Fax: 81-3-5460-5910

E-mail geoffrey.tudor@jal.co.jp