Fly JAL:Enjoy Japan!

Key-figures in Japanese corporations share their views on Australian markets

contributed by Kazunori Yamaguchi

For many Australian passengers of Japan Airlines, Narita Airport was often seen as the gateway to Europe, the US and China. However, favourable exchange rates and a ﾒVisit Japanﾓ campaign has encouraged increasing numbers of Australians to regard Japan itself as their final holiday destination.

Australian skiers and snowboarders already know the attraction. During the northern hemisphere winter, places like Niseko on Japanﾕs north island of Hokkaido have proven popular ski destinations for many Australians.

Japan, however, has so much more entertainment and culture to offer the Australian traveller. Temples, hot springs, matsuri festivals and more are found all over Japan. The Japan Airlines (JAL) group flies to 75 cities and a discount Yokoso Air Pass, serving one sector of this vast domestic network, is priced from $A100 for Australian visitors.

There is a myth that Japan is overly expensive, with a cup of coffee costing around $10 or an average meal setting you back hundreds. On the contrary, food and entertainment prices are comparable to Australia. This year the exchange rate has also continued to favour visitors, with the Australian dollar buying more Japanese yen.

Another myth is that visitors cannot get around Japan without knowing the language. In fact English signs are everywhere and English is spoken in the tourist areas of the main cities, making communication much less of a problem than many years ago.

For the shopper, Japan has the latest models of all manner of electrical goods and gadgets. From the Japanese inventions of the toilet seat warmer to the Tamagochi, Japan is the home of "hi-tech".

There is probably no Australian who has not heard of sushi, tempura or miso soup. These favourites and many more dishes are of good quality and value in Japan. For those not fond of raw fish, there are teriyaki alternatives, crumbed fried food and sukiyaki dishes which are mouth-watering and not so bad for the waistline.

New Middle Eastern and Asian carriers operating from Australia has helped encourage JAL to shift its focus from stopover passengers to bringing its passengers to Japan for a holiday. The Japan specialists serve 34 countries and 214 global destinations, with JAL's Australia-Japan route comprising 31 flights a week from Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Cairns. In April, JAL increased its global network by joining with One World Alliance.

For details, visit www.jal.com.au or call 1300-JAL-AUS.

Vice-president and regional manager of Japan Airlines Mr Kazunori Yamaguchi Joining Japan's leading airline in 1974, Kazunori Yamaguchi first worked as a passenger traffic officer at Tokyo International Airport. Transferring to JAL's customer relations department, later promotions saw him manage different departments and receive a posting overseas to London's Heathrow Airport. In 2002 he was named administration services director at Nagoya Airport until his transfer last year to JAL's Sydney office as vice-president and regional manager.