Canada and Japan expand air transport relationship—en route for new, convenient flights to Tokyo

OTTAWA, Oct. 2, 2013 /CNW/ - The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport and the Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade, today announced that Canada has successfully concluded negotiations with Japan to allow daytime access to Tokyo's Haneda Airport for Canadian air carriers starting April 2014.

Haneda Airport is one of the two primary airports that serve the Greater Tokyo Area and is closest to downtown Tokyo. This new daytime access will allow Canadian air carriers to offer services in addition to those at Tokyo's Narita Airport.

"This is a very positive development for Canada-Japan air transport relations," said Minister Raitt. "Access to Haneda Airport during daytime hours is very important to the further development of Canada-Japan air services. This agreement, reached under Canada's Blue Sky policy, is testimony to the excellent, longstanding relationship that exists between Canada and Japan. It is a concrete step in support of the Federal Tourism Strategy and the growth of the Asia-Pacific Gateway."

"Our government continues to deepen Canada's trade and investment ties with the world's third-largest economy," said Minister Fast. "Today's announcement is great news for Canadian travellers, particularly business people, who need better air service to Japan. We continue to work closely with Japan, through initiatives such as the Canada-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, to create new opportunities for our workers and businesses and take this priority relationship to the next level."

The Government of Canada's approach to expanding its air transport relationship with Japan is consistent with Canada's Blue Sky policy, which encourages long-term, sustainable competition and the development of new or expanded international air services. Under this policy, the Government of Canada has concluded new or expanded air transport agreements covering more than 70 countries, including:

• Open Skies-type agreements with 16 countries: Barbados, Brazil, Costa Rica, Curaçao, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Sint Maarten, South Korea, Switzerland, and Trinidad and Tobago.
• Expanded agreements with 15 countries: Algeria, China, Cuba, Egypt, India, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Turkey.
• First-time agreements with 18 countries: Bahrain, Bangladesh, Colombia, Croatia, Ethiopia, the Gambia, Kenya, Kuwait, Panama, Paraguay, Qatar, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia and Uruguay.
• A comprehensive air transport agreement between Canada and 27 of the European Union's member states.

Additional and up-to-date information on the Blue Sky policy and its implementation can be found at: www.tc.gc.ca/bluesky.

 

SOURCE: Transport Canada

Ashley Kelahear
Senior Communications Advisor
Office of the Honourable Lisa Raitt
Minister of Transport
Ottawa
613-991-0700

Rudy Husny
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Ed Fast
Minister of International Trade
613-992-7332

Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055

Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
613-995-1874

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