Japanese officials in Asia-Pacific have completed a diplomatic offensive to win support for a major regional aviation forum that Japan hopes will lead to tighter government cooperation on air transport policies.
The initiative is emerging as the first serious attempt to bring together high level government officials capable of forming a regional aviation bloc to counter the effects of liberalisation in Europe and North America.
Japan's powerful Ministry of Transport confirms that following 'informal contacts' there has been a 'positive reaction' from most of the region's nations, including the Asean group - Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines - and Australia.
Kosuke Shibata, director of the MOT's international air transportation division, denies the move is a tactical one by Tokyo to consolidate support for Japan over its bilateral aviation disputes with the US.
'It is not directed at the US. We have no specific aims to make this forum work against other regions. We simply want to encourage a joint strategy on policy,' says Shibata.
'At the first stage we are not thinking specific directions, rather an exchange of views and information,' he adds.
Nevertheless, the forum would provide an ideal platform for Asia-Pacific to develop a common front on aviation issues and coordinate its actions, particularly with regard to liberalisation in other regions and bilateral disagreements with the US and Europe which have dogged relations for years.
Although airlines in Asia-Pacific have intensified their lobbying efforts through the Orient Airlines Association (OAA), there is no equivalent regional government grouping to the European Union or North American trading bloc. The lack of regional organisation at the air transport policy level was strongly felt at the last Icao conference in November and December.
The ground-breaking gathering, tentatively named the Regional Forum on Air Transportation in Asia and Oceana, would cover a range of aviation policy issues going far beyond liberalisation. It is likely to take place late this year or in early 1996 and would involve senior international aviation officials from all the governments. Airline officials would also be invited to participate.
Significantly, the initiative gained momentum after a recent preparatory meeting in Beijing for a ministerial level conference of members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group due to be held in Washington in June. At the meeting the US proposed a move towards fullscale liberalisation which was turned down by the Asian countries.
Meanwhile discussions between the US and Japan were planned for mid June, with the primary focus being FedEx's application for new services beyond Osaka.
Source: Airline Business
