LCCs in Japan (PART 1). AirAsiaX: Visa restrictions make the Japan market uncompetitive in 2009

AirAsiaX, Asia's highest profile long-haul LCC, is unlikely to fly to Japan next year, despite several airports welcoming it. Japan's highly restrictive visa system "almost rules out" starting service in 2009. The Kuala Lumpur based airline, which last year began a successful operation between Australia's Gold Coast and Kuala Lumpur, linking into AirAsia's extensive Asian network, is reviewing which destinations it will fly to later this year and in 2009.