ANA, Japan Post to create air cargo airline

ANA, Japan Post to create air cargo airline    Tokyo-based All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Post today signed a strategic agreement that will include establishing a new cargo airline and joint international express courier services particularly to the Asian market.
   The privatization of Japan Post was approved Oct. 14 and is expected to be completed in 2007.
   The as-yet unnamed joint venture cargo airline will be established next April, and will be owned two-thirds by ANA and one-third by Japan Post. Operations are planned to commence within the first half of the fiscal year 2006.
   Under terms of the agreement, both companies will also cooperate in international express courier services, with ANA coordinating flight schedules and priority space for products developed by Japan Post.
   In Japan Post’s 2004 fiscal year, the state-owned company carried nearly 15 million international priority mail items (inbound and outbound).
   “The new venture with Japan Post will bring its stated aim to make air cargo one of its three core businesses — alongside domestic and international passenger transportation — closer to reality,” ANA said in a statement.
   “This is a historical first step for Japan Post in a new business field,” said Masaharu Ikuta, president of Japan Post. “Supported by ANA with its wealth of experience in air transportation, we can make our first move into the international express courier business, and springboard ourselves on the path to becoming a global provider of integrated logistics services.”
   ANA has two 45-ton capacity Boeing 767-300 freighter aircraft on order for delivery by the end of January 2006.
   “This is just the start,” said Mineo Yamamoto, ANA's president and chief executive officer. “Moving forward we will explore new ways in which we can strengthen the cooperation between Japan Post and ANA.”