The Myanmar and Japan governments have agreed to revise a bilateral aviation accord allowing more Japanese and Myanmar airlines to operate flights between the countries, it was announced last week.
The original accord, signed in 1972, stipulated that only one airline from each nation could operate flights. The new agreement was signed following a meeting between Japan’s Ambassador to Myanmar Mikio Numata and director general of the Department of Civil Aviation under Myanmar’s Transport Ministry Tin Naing Tun.
Currently All Nippon Airways flies daily between Narita and Yangon, while Myanmar Airways International flies between Yangon and some Japanese cities. The new agreement means that other airlines will be able to fly between the countries with Japan Airlines one of the airlines expected to capitalise on the new agreement.
“The revision is expected to respond to growing needs for the launch of regular flights, and further promote bilateral exchanges,” a release announcing the deal said.
Japan is a close ally of the current Myanmar government and is involved in a range of projects within the country, most notably in infrastructure as the formerly-isolated nation continues unprecedented reforms aimed at lifting the economy and bringing genuine democracy to the country.
Japan has cleared much of Myanmar’s debt to them and is heavily involved in the Thilawa Special Economic Zone, a billion dollar industrial project located close to Yangon, as well as plans to upgrade Myanmar’s transport network.
