The United States and Japan on Monday officially signed an Open Skies
agreement, lifting restrictions on air service between the two
countries. Agreed to by negotiators last December
the
bilateral deal required approval of two antitrust immunity
requests, one between oneworld partners American Airlines and Japan
Airlines, and the other between Star Alliance carriers All Nippon,
United Airlines and United subsidiary Continental Airlines. The
U.S.
Department of Transportation this month tentatively approved those
requests while Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation
and Tourism gave its blessing last week.