USAF is operating two Globalhawk UAVs and U-2s over Japan, esp. Tohoku region where intensive damage by March 11 earthquake and tsunami directly hit. Unofficially the casualty of this disaster is exceeding 20,000 mark, including those who still missing.
Globalhawk is especially put on special imagery information gathering mission flying high over Fukushima Diichi nuclear plant where the desperate efforts are going on to cool down those uncontrolled nuclear reactors.
Mainichi Shimbun reported that the imagery information data was shared by USAF to the Japanese government but Tokyo is reluctant to show the images of the plant to Japanese public. The reasons for its reluctance is unknown but USAF has gave the information to the Japanese government without conditions, reportedly.
2011-03-13
Earthquake Update: Three Airports Closed
Sendai, Hanamaki and Ibaraki Airports are closed as of now by the severe earthquake on Friday. Sendai airport view was observed by fly over airplane, showing its tarmac and runway was completely washed by tsunami and covered by brown muddy soil while some light airplanes still standing although they are out of order.
Narita International Airport is operative and the author of this blog had landed there on Saturday afternoon; inside the airport terminal, some moving escalators were inoperative showing power failure's damage to the system.
Local and land transportation is largely disturbed while ANA, JAL are operating special flights to airports of Tohoku (north eastern region) such as Aomori, Yamagata and Fukushima. Yamagata Airport is now designated as 24-hour operation emergency base for rescue missions.
This report is compiled as of 5 pm JST (+9 UTC) from various reporting.
Narita International Airport is operative and the author of this blog had landed there on Saturday afternoon; inside the airport terminal, some moving escalators were inoperative showing power failure's damage to the system.
Local and land transportation is largely disturbed while ANA, JAL are operating special flights to airports of Tohoku (north eastern region) such as Aomori, Yamagata and Fukushima. Yamagata Airport is now designated as 24-hour operation emergency base for rescue missions.
This report is compiled as of 5 pm JST (+9 UTC) from various reporting.
2011-03-11
Breaking News; Narita and Sendai Airports Closed by Quake
By stronger-ever earthquake off the coast of northeastern part of Honshu island in the afternoon of Friday March 11 (local time), both Narita International and Sendai airports are closed of the entire operations. NHK public broadcasting showed Sendai airport where its terminal tarmac was washed by Tsunami tidal waves while people escaped to the rooftop of the terminal. No direct damage to Narita is reported so far.
2011-02-27
JAL's Recovery On Track
/JAL To Get New Capital
From Jiji Press and Yomiuri Shimbun, 26 February 2011
Japan Airlines, under corporate rehabilitation, will be highly likely to record consolidated profit of JPY170 billion (US$2 billion) at the end of March 2011. This amount is 2.6 times larger than the originally planned profit by the corporate rehabilitation plans as submitted to the Tokyo District Court at the end of last August, attributed to the company’s overall cost reduction efforts. The forecasted amount of profit is the record high in the history of JAL The higher cash flow will help the airliner to strengthen its financial foundation, the company’s weak point over the years.
JAL will welcome additional financial help from eight companies as capital investment of JPY 20 billion at maximum. New investors will include Tokio Marine and JTB, travel agency among other six companies of Daiwa Securities, Kyocera, Mitsui Sumitomo Marine and Fire, Sompo Japan, MS & AD Insurance and Hankyu Travel. JAL first wanted a larger capital investment as much as 50 billion yen; as the result of JAL’s overall management performance will lower the amount to 20 billion level.Apart from that, JAL expects a new financial loan equivalent of JPY280 billion from major dealing five banks led by Development Bank of Japan as well as new members such as Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking, Aozora, Tokyo Star, Chiba Banks as well as Okinawa Development Finance Corporation.
2011-01-22
Japan Succeeds HTV Launch
HTV was developed by JAXSA, Japanese Space Agency, as Japanese commitment to provide a means of supply materials to ISS. After five days from the launch, HTV will approach to ISS by increasing its altitude and finally will dock to ISS.
HTV, a cylindrical structure with 10 meter length and 4.4 meter diameter, weighs about 16 tons including its payload of experimental devices for Kibo testbed at ISS as well as daily consumables for astronauts including clothing and hygiene supplies such as shampoo. Its total cost of production is about 15 billion yen (about 183 million dollars).
The lift, H2B, is derivative of the original H2A rocket by incorporating two units of H2A engines for larger lift thrust. Unit cost of its launch is also 15 billion yen. Counting together with its original H2A, H2 series has scored 14 successes consecutively and 19 succeful launches in total. The launch was
JAXSA website ; http://www.jaxa.jp/index_e.html
2010-11-22
SKYMARK Airlines to Launch International Routes from 2014
from Nikkei Shimbun, November 12, 2010
Skymark Airlines showed its plans to inaugurate international scheduled flights from Narita International Airport to three destinations of London, Frankfurt and New York, starting from 2014. The carrier, so far flying only domestic routes, will introduce six Airbus A380 for this venture and may introduce about half of legacy carriers.
Skymark's A380 will seat as many as 394 with business class accounting for 30%.
Skymark will decide to add 9 more A380s by seeing the performance of the first three routes for more expansion of international routes such as Paris, Los Angeles and Bangkok from Kansai and Chubu International Airports.
For Airbus, this order is the first of A380 in Japan where Boeing aircraft account for 80% in the market and may become a milestone for Airbus.
2010-10-26
New Civilian Rescue Flying Boat from ShinMaywa Coming Up
Bombardier is its main competitor in commercial market; however,ShinMaywa’s is superior in the performance but less competitive in price tag; the Takarazuka, Hyogo-based company redesigns the standard equipments and its production processes to lower unit cost of the aircraft.
US-2 is currently used by Japan Maritime Self Defense Force for rescue mission as well as medical transport from remote islands. The flying boat can be turned to fire fighting aircraft as well. The company says it has received more than 70 inquiries to the aircraft from southeast Asian, European, and Middle Eastern countries.
US-2 is a follow-up of US-1 flying boat and its orgin dates back to 1960’s PS-1, anti-submarine patrol flying boat. ShinMaywa inherits the engineering experience of Kawanishi Aircraft, known for successful production of Type-2 flying boat, four-engine large type, used by the Imperial Japanese Navy during WW2 that once flew over Pearl Harbor for reconnaissance missions.
Specifications of US-2
Crew: 11
Length: 33.25 m
Wing span: 33.15 m
Max take-off weight: 47.7 t
Max take-off weight (waters): 43.0 t
Power plant: Rolls Royce AE2100J turboprop (4,591shp) x 4, LHTEC T800 for boundary controlling
Max speed: 315 kt
Cruise speed; 260 kt
Range: 2,500 nm (4,700 km)
Water take off length: 280 m
Water landing length: 310 m
Pressurized cabin
Glass cockpit
2010-09-01
Incrediby Shrinking Japan Airlines
from Sankei Shimbun August 30,2010 and others
Japan Airlines will submit its rehabilitation plans to the Tokyo District Court on August 31 upon approval of the cabinet ministers. On the same day at evening, Chairman Mr. Kazuo Inamori will meet the press conference with Ken Ohnishi, President with officials of Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corporation of Japan (ETIC), serving as JAL’s receiver.
The plans call for 1) write-off of its debt of 521.5 billion yen (about $6 billion) by syndicate banks 2) new investment by ETIC 3) slashing of employees up to about 16,000 at group wide 4) abolish 45 routes, domesitc and international, by March 2011.
JAL has announced its plan to merger JALWAYS, its subsidiary operator as well as its accounting firm in this year.
JAL wishes to see its stocks relisted at Tokyo Stock Exchange by the end of 2012 after a further restructuring and increased corporate values. The airline hopes to repay 350 billion yen of public fund by selling its stocks. The district court will decide on the approval to the plans by the end of November.
Accotrding to JAL’s plans, the airline is considering to launch its own LCC subsidiary. Its rival ANA has issued its plans to start low cost carrier earlier in August.
Japan Airlines will submit its rehabilitation plans to the Tokyo District Court on August 31 upon approval of the cabinet ministers. On the same day at evening, Chairman Mr. Kazuo Inamori will meet the press conference with Ken Ohnishi, President with officials of Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corporation of Japan (ETIC), serving as JAL’s receiver.
The plans call for 1) write-off of its debt of 521.5 billion yen (about $6 billion) by syndicate banks 2) new investment by ETIC 3) slashing of employees up to about 16,000 at group wide 4) abolish 45 routes, domesitc and international, by March 2011.
JAL has announced its plan to merger JALWAYS, its subsidiary operator as well as its accounting firm in this year.
JAL wishes to see its stocks relisted at Tokyo Stock Exchange by the end of 2012 after a further restructuring and increased corporate values. The airline hopes to repay 350 billion yen of public fund by selling its stocks. The district court will decide on the approval to the plans by the end of November.
Accotrding to JAL’s plans, the airline is considering to launch its own LCC subsidiary. Its rival ANA has issued its plans to start low cost carrier earlier in August.
2010-08-04
ANA to Launch its LCC Subsidiary
Reported by Mainichi Shimbun, August 2, 2010
All Nippon Airways (ANA) will accept capital participation from various parties including non-Japanese airlines as well as investment funds for launching of its new affiliate low cost carrier. ANA plans to start operations of its new LCC brand in 2011 with airfare level as low as half of major airlines.
ANA expects to collect capitalization over 50 billion yen (about 0.6 billion USD) in which ANA holds 50% as the biggest shareholder. Current regulations in Japan calls for constraining foreign capital participation at one third at highest, it is believed that ANA will welcome funds from foreign airliners and other funds around 20% mark. Whereas in domestic front, ANA will ask more numbers of travel agents and hotels that can make more synergy effect by joint founding of the new airliner.As for top executive of the new company, ANA wishes to head hunt anyone with robust experiences at LCCs outside Japan. ANA also studies feasibility to hire those pilots who were fired by JAL as a part of the airliner’s restructuring.
ANA will ask the Japanese government to lower its landing fees at domestic airports as they are higher than international standard as well as other airport service costs.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) will accept capital participation from various parties including non-Japanese airlines as well as investment funds for launching of its new affiliate low cost carrier. ANA plans to start operations of its new LCC brand in 2011 with airfare level as low as half of major airlines.
ANA expects to collect capitalization over 50 billion yen (about 0.6 billion USD) in which ANA holds 50% as the biggest shareholder. Current regulations in Japan calls for constraining foreign capital participation at one third at highest, it is believed that ANA will welcome funds from foreign airliners and other funds around 20% mark. Whereas in domestic front, ANA will ask more numbers of travel agents and hotels that can make more synergy effect by joint founding of the new airliner.As for top executive of the new company, ANA wishes to head hunt anyone with robust experiences at LCCs outside Japan. ANA also studies feasibility to hire those pilots who were fired by JAL as a part of the airliner’s restructuring.
ANA will ask the Japanese government to lower its landing fees at domestic airports as they are higher than international standard as well as other airport service costs.
2010-07-28
Japan’s Private-Public Joint Space Business Mission to Visit Latin America
From Nihon Kogyo Shimbun, 26 July 2010
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industries (METI) is going to organize a joint business mission with delegates of major private sector players to Latin America in order to sell Japanese satellite products for earth observation as well as communications and broadcasting. The mission will visit Brazil, Argentina and Peru for two weeks starting August 23. Its private sector members include NEC, IHI, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries joined by Fujitsu, Hitachi, Mitsubishi Corporation and JAXA.
Brazil and Argentina have potential market needs of satellite use for forest watching, agricultural management and harvest forecasting. Brazil, in particular, is going to start full-fledged development of radar-equipped satellite for all weather observation where Japanese side can appeal with their expertise.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industries (METI) is going to organize a joint business mission with delegates of major private sector players to Latin America in order to sell Japanese satellite products for earth observation as well as communications and broadcasting. The mission will visit Brazil, Argentina and Peru for two weeks starting August 23. Its private sector members include NEC, IHI, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries joined by Fujitsu, Hitachi, Mitsubishi Corporation and JAXA.
Brazil and Argentina have potential market needs of satellite use for forest watching, agricultural management and harvest forecasting. Brazil, in particular, is going to start full-fledged development of radar-equipped satellite for all weather observation where Japanese side can appeal with their expertise.
2010-07-17
JAL's Debt Ballons, Growing Distrust among Banks
The amount of excessive debt of Japan Airlines, under corporate rehabilitation process, has amounted to JPY1 trillion or US$1.11 billion level. The main reason of swallowing debt is attributed to book accounting to record the cost of disposal of older aircraft and other restructuring as ‘loss’. On the other hand, the former board members,those who were supposed to take responsibility of the collapse of the company, are found as serving as the board of JAL’s affiliated corporations; thus the distrust of bank syndicate has reached to its peak as they have been requested by JAL to abandon a part of their loans; it would be inevitable to foresee a hard time to reach their agreement within August.
A bank executive who was briefed by JAL on July 1 outburst-ed his emotion by saying ‘I cannot understand how come you added more amount to abandon by us.’
JAL’s excessive liabilities amounted to JPY 950 billion (approx USD 10.6 billion) on consolidated basis, higher than when the company filed for corporate rehabilitation process by JPY100 billion. Accordingly JAL wishes to ask the banks for debt waiver of extra 50 billion yen.
A reduction of personnel as a whole group, targeted 16,000 in total, calls for additional reserve of hundreds of billion yen for additional payment for their early retirement.
JAL is to receive public funding of 300-350 billion yen while the banking insertions are requested to abandon their liabilities. The airliner is obliged to announce publicly of their loss to keep transparency in return of receiving public fund, but the JAL has not disclosed the details yet.
Distrust feeling of the bank syndicate comes from not only increased amount of liabilities as requested. The former board of directors at JAL all quited as the company filed for bankruptcy but H. Nishimatsu, then-president, got a seat of president of JAL Foundation while some others got board members at JAL affiliated companies by June. An executive of the bank syndicate commented ‘A post of president is paid nothing but the post is honorable seat for those who completed all duties. Clearly the company lacks for sensitivity for how it would be perceived by the society.’
JAL’s liquidation process has protected general business liabilities such as aircraft leasing and fuel cost to ensure ‘continued operations’ and, in return, the rate of liability write off was set abnormally high.
In addition, JAL is requesting the banks of refinancing for replacement of its aircraft; currently the company has submitted a JPY 360 billion plan that was reacted by the banks thinking JAL is asking too much.
JAL’s performance shows a steadfast recovery as shown in May when its international service utilization rate was 70.8%, an improvement by 14 points than the same month of the previous year.
A bank executive who was briefed by JAL on July 1 outburst-ed his emotion by saying ‘I cannot understand how come you added more amount to abandon by us.’
JAL’s excessive liabilities amounted to JPY 950 billion (approx USD 10.6 billion) on consolidated basis, higher than when the company filed for corporate rehabilitation process by JPY100 billion. Accordingly JAL wishes to ask the banks for debt waiver of extra 50 billion yen.
A reduction of personnel as a whole group, targeted 16,000 in total, calls for additional reserve of hundreds of billion yen for additional payment for their early retirement.
JAL is to receive public funding of 300-350 billion yen while the banking insertions are requested to abandon their liabilities. The airliner is obliged to announce publicly of their loss to keep transparency in return of receiving public fund, but the JAL has not disclosed the details yet.
Distrust feeling of the bank syndicate comes from not only increased amount of liabilities as requested. The former board of directors at JAL all quited as the company filed for bankruptcy but H. Nishimatsu, then-president, got a seat of president of JAL Foundation while some others got board members at JAL affiliated companies by June. An executive of the bank syndicate commented ‘A post of president is paid nothing but the post is honorable seat for those who completed all duties. Clearly the company lacks for sensitivity for how it would be perceived by the society.’
JAL’s liquidation process has protected general business liabilities such as aircraft leasing and fuel cost to ensure ‘continued operations’ and, in return, the rate of liability write off was set abnormally high.
In addition, JAL is requesting the banks of refinancing for replacement of its aircraft; currently the company has submitted a JPY 360 billion plan that was reacted by the banks thinking JAL is asking too much.
JAL’s performance shows a steadfast recovery as shown in May when its international service utilization rate was 70.8%, an improvement by 14 points than the same month of the previous year.
2010-06-05
Mitsubishi Aviation Will Start MRJ Production from September
Production of its components will start at Oye Plant of Mistubishi Heavy in Nagoya. Final assembly will take place at Mitsubishi's Komaki South Works neighboring Nagoya Airport in 2011.
So far ANA has placed order for 25 MRJs while Trans States Holdings ordered as many as 100 aircraft. Mitsubishi is reportedly talking with several airlines in US and European nations.
The first flight is scheduled in the second quarter of 2012; the first delivery is targeted in the first quarter, 2014.
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