S’pore and Japan to work together to boost air connectivity, aviation sustainability

Singapore and Japan will enhance air connectivity as part of an arrangement inked on Friday, which may mean more flights for travellers to look forward to. Both countries have committed to a comprehensive framework arrangement covering key areas such as aviation sustainability and safety, air traffic management, and airport innovation and technology. Announcing the signing of a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) on Friday with its Japanese counterpart, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said Japan is a popular destination for Singapore travellers. CAAS and the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) said: “Prior to the pandemic in 2019, passenger movements between Singapore and Japan reached a historic high of 3.4m, with over 200 weekly passenger services between Singapore and seven Japanese cities.” Passenger traffic has recovered to about 50 per cent of the level before the Covid-19 pandemic and is expected to further increase in 2023. The MOC is the first of its kind inked between Japan and a South-east Asian nation, CAAS and JCAB said. Japan and Singapore will collaborate and share expertise in areas such as airport and airline development and consumer protection, as well as foster greater cooperation between the airlines of both countries. Both countries will also exchange knowledge on the skills needed to create new jobs in sustainable aviation. They are also looking into developing a green lane to encourage the gradual uptake of flights powered by sustainable fuels. Japan and Singapore will also share knowledge on innovative technologies at airports as part of efforts to meet service, manpower and sustainability goals. <br/>