Kansai Airport Reports Big Drop In Foreign Visitors In 2011

Above, the Kinkaku-ji "Golden Pavilion" in Kyoto. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Kansai International Airport reported a steep drop in foreign visitors in 2011 according to The Mainichi Daily News.

OSAKA (Kyodo) -- The number of foreign visitors to Japan through the Kansai International Airport in 2011 posted the steepest-ever fall of 22 percent to 2,734,196, due to the higher yen and the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that ravaged a wide area of northeastern Japan and triggered a nuclear crisis, Kansai International Airport Co. said in a preliminary report Monday.

The overall number of air passengers passing through the 24-hour airport on a man-made island in Osaka Bay during the year, including domestic travelers, fell 6 percent to 13,520,663, following a revised 7 percent increase in 2010, according to the airport operator.

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JAL Dreamliners To Offer Manga To Passengers

Above, the Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion in Kyoto, Japan. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is amazing to see what avenues today's technology are available to travelers.

Japan Airlines (JAL) is going to offer something new to keep travelers occupied during their flights aboard their new Boeing 787 Dreamliners. This'll help make the long trip to Japan seem faster.

Terminal U posted an interesting article:

Japan Airlines (JAL) has announced that electronic manga (Japanese comics) will be the new in-flight entertainment when its first 787 Dreamliner flies into service next year.


From March, manga fans will be able to choose from up to 30 different titles on seatback video screens on board JAL™'s International Dreamliner flights.

The new service comes off the back of a collaboration with Japanese publisher Shogakukan Inc and eBook Initiative Japan Co.

Left, Tokyo Tower in the background. Photo by Armand Vaquer.



Considering that flights to Japan from Los Angeles take eleven hours, any innovation to help pass the time are welcome.

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