Japan Airlines History.

Japan Arlines or Japan Air Lines was founded in 1951. It started with domestic flights on American DC-3 and Martin 2-0-2 planes between Tokyo and Osaka.

The airline suffered from a shortage of experienced pilots. Nearly all Japanese aviators were drafted into the air service during the war and very few survived. As a result, American, British, and other aviators were required to operate the company's fleet of aircraft until Japanese pilots could be trained.

In 1952 the governments of Japan and the United States signed an agreement which established an international air service between the two countries.

Japan Airlines opened its first international route, a service which connected Tokyo, Honolulu, and San Francisco with DC-6B plane in 1954. One way fare cost US$650, which is an equivalent of US$6400 today.

In 1960, JAL ordered its first jet plane, the Douglas DC-8. The aircraft was named “Fuji” and was used to serve international routes from Tokyo to Honolulu and San Francisco.

During the 1960s, Japan Airlines flew to many cities around the world, including Moscow, New York, and Pusan. JAL started to serve European flights via Anchorage in 1961 using DC-8s, while services to Europe via India started in 1962 using Convair-880s.

Japan Airlines opened a service in conjunction with the Soviet airline Aeroflot which linked Moscow and Tokyo in 1967. The Soviets provided the aircraft Tupelov Tu-114 and flight crew, but the cabin attendants were a combination of Japan Airlines and Aeroflot personnel.

1970s was the time of micro-mini skirts. The uniform designed by Japan’s Hanae Mori for Japan Airlines celebrated national symbols in both the red belt buckle – the rising sun – as well as a crane motif on the hat. Mori's elegant designs symbolized the rise of Japan as a modern, fashionable nation and the rise of the working woman.

Japan Airlines added Boeing-747s to its growing airliner fleet. In 1977, however, a number of Japanese politicians were implicated in a scandal which involved illegal payments from the sale of Boeing airplanes.

Japan Airlines was recognized for its numerous successes when it was chosen “1980 Airline of the Year” by the editors of Air Transport World.

While Japan Airlines had made its mark in the air, it was also very active on the ground. Its high speed train does not touch the rails it rides over. The train is magnetically suspended approximately one centimeter above the rails.

On February 14, 1978, the high speed train between Tokyo and Narita Airport achieved the record speed of 300km/h. The train shuttle speed is 130km/h today.

Japan Airlines remains the largest airline in Japan. It flies non-stop to about 70 domestic destinations and more than 50 international destinations in Asia, Europe, Oceania, North America and South America.