From yesterday to this morning, concentrated heavy rains have hit Wakasa and Yazu towns (Tobu region). I express my heartfelt sympathy to the people who have suffered damage. The prefectural administration will make an all-out effort for the restoration work.
The law to promote local resource utilization for small businesses was enacted as of this June. This law has been made for the central government to support local revitalization. Our prefecture will of course back up this law. For example, if the small businesses promote their industries utilizing regional resources, such as Twentieth Century pears, Misasa- and Kaike-Onsen (hot springs), I will submit our basic concept including the requirement for tax incentive to encourage such small businesses to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Today, the Twentieth Century pears have been shipped to the market. And tomorrow, I will go to the Osaka Central Market to help sell these first pears of this season, and will conduct a campaign in the Kansai area. I will also present Twentieth Century pears to the Jamaican team who will participate in the Osaka Track and Field Championships in 2007.
According to the report, there were two houses flooded above floor level and fifty-seven houses flooded under floor level. From this morning, we are investigating the extent of damage via helicopter for disaster safety. Since landslides occurred in Wakasa and Yazu towns, we are now getting in touch with these towns to access the necessary aids.
On 20th of this month, Hyun Dong Shil, Assistant Managing Director of Asiana Airlines, Inc. visited Tottori to convey the decision of their board of directors that the flight service of Seoul-Yonago would be suspended on October 28th or thereafter. Presently they offer the regular flight services three times a week. In recent years, the seat occupancy between Seoul and Yonago is markedly declining (it has dropped below 50% in this year) among Japanese airports. The Asiana Airlines thinks that the suspension will be unavoidable unless their operation returns to the black. I was so surprised to hear that, as I was just preparing a proposal of improvement plan of the seat occupancy for the September assembly session. Securing the flight of Seoul-Yonago is very important to us because this route is the only regular international flight service in the Sanin region.
I really understand that the Asiana Airlines is concerned about the management problems including routing reformation. Even so, I want them to give us a chance to continue this route. I have spoken to Hyun Dong Shil that I intend to visit the Asiana Airlines to explain what support we can offer if they are in a situation of increasing deficits. I want to appeal our plans for the continuation of this route and the improvement of seat occupancy if I have the chance. When I met him, there was no clear answer. But later on and through negotiations, I was able to make an appointment to meet with the president of the Asiana Airlines at their Head Office in Seoul. The meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday, at 2:00 p.m. I must propose the avoidance of the suspension with my suggestions. The Mayor of Yonago and some prefectural assembly members will join me on the trip. Encouraged by such accompanied members, I want to appeal to the Asiana Airlines the need of the flight service between Seoul and Yonago for the development of the Sanin region as a whole.
If you ask me whether or not there is a strong chance of the continuation, I must say that it would be low visibility. Nobody in the Sanin region wishes the suspension of this international flight service that might be ended on October 28th 2007 (the inaugural flight was in April 2001). I will try to persuade the president to save the route at least for the foreseeable future.
The primary problem is in the seat occupancy, not in the matter of the continuation or not. Unless the seat occupancy can upwardly be revised, it will be same old routine. I want the residents in the Sanin region to be aware of the advantage that is brought by the Seoul-Yonago regular international flight services. I need the cooperation of the residents, using their ingenuity to find a solution.
The first thing is to discuss the wise and various uses involving our administration, other administrative organizations and private sectors. In the case of Miyazaki and Fukushima prefectures, they successfully do golf course tours. This is the reason that they have a lead from other airports. To catch up with other airports, I am thinking to offer partial aid for bus fare to the Korean group tour passengers as emergency measures. I need to send the airlines my intentions that enhance such aid further in the second half of this year.
I am planning to subsidize in part to the outbound tourists or groups having a certain purpose such as school trips. Meanwhile, I am thinking to provide some menus for the inbound tourists. For example, a public relations campaign in Seoul via the media, some aid for transportation use, etc.
As I previously told you, it will be same old routine unless the seat occupancy can be upwardly revised. It will be necessary to reorganize the framework so that tourists can use the Seoul-Yonago routing more often than now. One good thing will be the commercialization of golf course tours, because this highly meets needs of recent tourists. We cannot improve the seat occupancy by the sole effort of the administration – it will make the improvement possible by working with the residents and people of the pertinent communities. We must overcome this problem affirming its importance.
Hyun Dong Shil, Assistant Managing Director of Asiana Airlines, Inc. has told me his concern that the exchange between Gangwon-do province and Tottori prefecture may begin to decline. The stifling atmosphere that currently exists between the two may have a considerable influence upon the recovery of the seat occupancy of Seoul-Yonago flights. So I'll just have to keep working on this.