Society

Australian competition watchdog blocks Qantas-Japan Airlines deal

Sep 14 (Japan Times) - Australia’s competition regulator on Monday denied approval for an agreement between Qantas Airways Ltd. and Japan Airlines Co. to coordinate flights between Australia and Japan, saying it would reduce competition when coronavirus travel restrictions are lifted and international travel resumes.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said in a statement that the proposed agreement would not only remove competition between the two top competitors but also make it difficult for other airlines to operate routes between Australia and Japan.

“Preserving competition between airlines is the key to the long-term recovery of the aviation and tourism sectors, once international travel restrictions are eased,” said Rod Sims, chair of the ACCC.

Qantas and JAL together flew some 85% of passengers traveling between Australia and Japan in 2019, the ACCC said.

In response to the decision, Qantas and JAL expressed their disappointment in a joint statement, saying the agreement would have boosted the recovery of the tourism sector once international borders reopened.

Currently, Japan’s All Nippon Airways Co. is the only other carrier offering direct flights between Australia and Japan.

Tokyo Court Rules Workplace Use of '-chan' as Sexual Harassment

A Tokyo District Court has ruled that addressing a colleague using the 'chan' suffix constitutes sexual harassment, ordering a male employee to pay 220,000 yen in damages.

Inside Japanese Fonts: How Designers Shape the Way We Read

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Knife-Wielding Man Arrested Near U.S. Embassy in Tokyo

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Imperial Family Pays Tribute to War Victims

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First Snow Caps Mount Fuji, 15 Days Earlier Than Last Year

The Kofu Local Meteorological Observatory announced on October 23rd that the season’s first snow had been observed on Mount Fuji, which stands 3,776 meters tall. Around 6 a.m., an official visually confirmed that snow had clearly accumulated near the summit.

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