Transport Malta and the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau met in Tokyo earlier this week to discuss the necessary regulatory framework which will permit the establishment of air transport links between both countries.

Transport Malta was part of the trade mission to Japan, led by the Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.  Captain Charles Pace, the Director General for Civil Aviation, met with representatives of Japan's Civil Aviation Bureau, Japanese airlines and a number of stakeholders within the aviation industry, with the goal of strengthening the relations between the aviation sectors of both countries.

Malta will continue to build on the progress made, in these meetings, to establish an air services agreement between the two countries, a government statement read.  Both delegations reached a common understanding on the routes to be operated by the airlines, capacity entitlements, code-sharing, aviation safety, security and other operational arrangements.

"The meetings marked an important milestone for Malta in its quest for further international cooperation in the field of aviation."

The air travel industry in Japan, supports more than one million jobs and generates more than €70 billion in GDP.  Japan is currently undergoing a capacity expansion policy with the aim to accommodate an extra 39,000 international flight movements by the year 2020.