Follow-up Discussions on Aviation Agreement Between Fiji and Japan

On Friday, 29 July 2016, Charge’ d’ Affaires, Counselor Mrs Korovou, hosted a lunch meeting with officials from the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (CAB), of the Ministry of Land, Transport, Infrastructure & Tourism (MLITT), who were part of the Japanese delegation to the Air Services Agreement (ASA) and direct flight bilateral consultations, held in Fiji on the 6^th – 7^th of July. The FET was party to the coordination of this bilateral talks. The lunch was also attended by Second Secretary Kelera Savu.

The meeting was to touch base on discussion outcomes in Fiji as well as to consider follow-up actions required from the FET side.

The meeting noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Tokyo) has jurisdiction over the drafting of the revised ASA.  Moreover, as per the bilateral discussions in Suva, the ASA will consider a series of modernized aviation provisions between Fiji and Japan, that anticipates expanding civil aviation cooperation between the two countries. This would allow the designated airlines of both countries to operate three passenger or cargo flights per week, beginning in late 2019, with an expansion to four flights per week.