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Updated Wednesday, January 7, 2009 10:01 am TWN, CNA

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Taiwan-Japan aviation talks to be held late Feb.

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Taiwan-Japan aviation consultation talks are slated to be held in Tokyo in late February, with the two sides set to discuss a proposed increase in the number of two-way flights, Tsai Ming-yao, secretary-general of the quasi official Association of East Asian Relations (AEAR), announced yesterday.

Speaking at a news briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) , Tsai said that at the upcoming meeting officials from Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) will discuss with their Japanese counterparts the possibility of increasing the number of scheduled flights between Taiwan and Japanese destinations.

The Japanese side has responded positively to the proposal relayed by the CAA, based on a request by several Taiwan based carriers that are keen to boost two-way tourism exchanges, Tsai said.

At present, there are 10 regularly scheduled daily flights between Taiwan and Japanese destinations, including Tokyo, Sapporo and Naha, while an unlimited number of charter flights operate freely between the two sides, Tsai noted.

Turning to a plan by the MOFA to open an office in Sapporo, capital of Japan's northern Hokkaido Prefecture, the AEAR official said the foreign ministry has referred the plan to the Executive Yuan for approval and budget allocation before seeking Japan's final permission.

The MOFA hopes to open an office in Sapporo as soon as possible to serve the many Taiwan tourists that visit the region and to boost two-way activities, he added.

Taiwanese tourists average more than 280,000 visits to Hokkaido a year, far more than the 18,000 visits to Taiwan by Hokkaido residents, statistics show.

In addition, Tsai said, the AEAR is set to expand youth exchanges between the two countries this year.

Following visits by 60 Taiwanese high school students to Japan last year, another 100 high school students will visit Japan in February this year, he said.

In 2008, 20 Japanese high school students visited Taiwan under the youth exchange program, and more will visit Taiwan this year, he said.

The AEAR was set up under the MOFA in 1972 to deal with Japan affairs after Tokyo switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing that same year.

Despite the lack of formal ties, the two countries share close trade and economic links.

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