Comment – This is indeed good news for Macau, it must be remembered as outlined by Las Vegas Sands, that the Cotai Strip development will be partly dependent on Japanese tourists. Also it would make it easier for US East Coast travelers to travel to Macau, via a single stopover through Japan. The question now is when?

The Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Mr Ao Man Long, said today that regular flights between Macao and Japan could be operating in the near future.

Mr Ao, who led a delegation from the civil aviation sector, tourism sector and cultural sector on a visit to Tokyo and Osaka from 26-30 July, disclosed this on his return.

During the visit, the delegation paid visited the Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Katsutoshi Kaneda, and to the Senior Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Mr Ryuji Matsunura.

In the meetings, Mr Ao updated his Japanese counterparts on the latest economic development in Macao, such as launching of complete of large-scale hotels and theme parks.

The Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Katsutoshi Kaneda, said Macao could become one of the hottest destinations for Japanese travellers with the conclusion of an aviation treaty that would allow direct flights between the two places.

The Senior Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Mr Ryuji Matsunura, said the aviation treaty would not only promote tourism between Macao and Japan, but also facilitating trade as well.

Mr Ao said Macao has always been attracting travelers from mainland and Taiwan: these travelers could also make Macao a transit point from which they could travel on to Japan. Mr Ao said the Japanese government supported an aviation treaty.

Moreover, the delegation also visited Osaka Airport and paid a courtesy call to the Ambassador of the Chinese Embassy in Japan, Mr Wang Yi.

Mr Ao and the delegation returned to Macao on 30 July. (MacauSAR government) 

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