Press Releases
Signing of Japan-Laos Air Services Agreement
1. On January 16, in the presence of H.E. Mr. Kazuyuki Nakane, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Hiroyuki Kishino, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and H.E. Dr. Bounchan Sinthavong, Minister of Public Works and Transport of Lao People’s Democratic Republic, signed the “Agreement Between Japan and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic for Air Services” (Japan-Laos Air Services Agreement) in Vientiane, Laos.
2. A substantial agreement was reached during the visit to Laos by H.E. Mr. Norio Mitsuya, then-State Minister for Foreign Affairs, in June last year. With the aim of establishing a legal framework to open scheduled airline routes between Japan and Laos, this Agreement mutually grants both sides the right to operate scheduled flights and prescribes matters such as exemption of customs duties, basic principles for determining capacity, procedures for deciding tariffs, and ensuring of measures for aviation safety and security.
It is anticipated that this Agreement will allow for the stable operation of scheduled flights between Japan and Laos, and will further promote people-to-people and economic exchanges.3. This Agreement will enter into force on the day of exchange of diplomatic notes indicating that the Agreement has been approved in accordance with the respective legal procedures of Japan and Laos (In the case of Japan, the approval of the Diet is required.).
(November 17, 2013)