• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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• no.spc
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• pp.137-163
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• 2007

The air market in Asia has already entered upon the age of limitless competition. It means a very important moment in Asia air market. Each Asian country thus has put a lot of effort into a development plan and support to their hub airport. In order to achieve such a plan, first of all we should build closer cooperation system between the two countries Japan and Korea. The Korea and Japan are very fast growing in the northeast countries within the global air transport market. Air passenger and cargo traffic volumes between Korea and Japan have increased dramatically, since the 1990s. In response to such a trend, both countries have opened new airports and expanded existing facilities in the hopes of laying claims to the main international hub airport in Asia. Apart from the trend, air transportation between Korea and Japan's metropolitan areas is the only transportation in substance, even if they are located very closely in geographical position. The air transportation between the two countries shows that it is necessary to get fast and more convenient because of the economic and cultural interchange and exchange concentrated on the metropolitan areas, and that will promote the economic growth of Korea and Japan. However, within the air transportation industry field, there have no sufficient seats/slots to supply the air demand from the capital cities of each country, as well as no counterplan for some problems regarding capacityand sustain ability of metropolitan airports. Thus, it is necessary for us to consider in all aspects and solve them to improve air transportation between Korea and Japan. This paper is to try to demonstrate this matter and from all angles, that is, in legal and political aspects, facilities and given environmental conditions and cooperation between Korea and Japan. I think that it is indeed a great necessary and convenient for many Korean and Japanese tourists to conclude a new 'Open Sky Agreement' between Japan and Korea in order to the prepare the increase of the shuttle flight between Haneda-Gimpo and opening of air route newly for shuttle flight between Haneda and Cheongju as well as opening of air route for shuttle flight between Haneda-Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and Beijing International Airport for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Furthermore it is a great desirable thing for us to conclude a new 'Open Sky Agreement' in cooperation reciprocally among the Japan, China and Korea for opening the new air route by the shuttle flight.