JAL-Delta rumours strengthen. But does Washington agree?

Rumours strengthened over the weekend that Delta and SkyTeam have won the beauty contest for the hand of Japan Airlines, after bankruptcy is declared, probably tomorrow. If that is the case - and cautious judgments are always wise in the Japan environment - then beauty was probably not the determinant so much as pure muscle. But Tokyo bureaucrats are not the right ones to take that decision; ironically it will probably be Washington's bureaucrats who do.