Japan Airlines, Japan Air Systems and All Nippon Airways appointed official airlines of EXPO 2005

Organizers of the 2005 World Exposition - EXPO 2005 - have appointed Japan Airlines (JAL) All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Air Systems (JAS), the three leading Japanese carriers, as official airlines for the world event to be held in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, from March 25 to September 25, 2005.

The 185-day 2005 World Exposition has as the main theme, " Nature's Wisdom" and is dedicated to the care and protection of the environment.

Expo 2005's site is located 45 kilometers northeast of Chubu International Airport, now under construction and scheduled to open on March 19, 2004.

As official airlines, the three carriers, JAL, ANA and JAS will help to promote the event in Japan and overseas by providing transportation for Expo officials, seconding personnel and providing training for hospitality staff. The three airlines will also feature the Expo 2005 symbol marks and mascot characters in their promotional activities and materials.

A key theme of the Expo is "Sustainable Development" and an Eco-Communities project at the event has been envisioned to reuse energy and make use of existing waste. The entire site has been designed with the conservation of nature and the local environment as the top priority.

The Expo site is close to the port city of Nagoya, Japan's third biggest city and the site is bordered by Seto City, the town of Nagatuke and Toyota City. Aichi Prefecture is one of Japan's leading industrial areas, producing about 2% of Japan's GNP. At the heart of the region is Toyota City, home of the Toyota Motor Corporation and a leading centre of machinery manufacturer, aerospace industries, food production, textiles, ceramics and woodwork.

Official projections say that 15 million visitors will attend the 185-day Expo, but the organizers actually expect a total of 25 million people. As of November 25, 2002, 59 countries and international organizations had registered as participants.