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FY2012 - FY2003

The JAL Group and JR East Agree to Cooperation on a Wide Range of Business Activities and Issue the "JAL Card Suica" !
Even more responsive to customers' needs! You can exchange miles to charge your Suica card!

JAL
JR-EAST

Japan Airlines
East Japan Railway Company

April 21, 2004

The JAL Group (JAL Group CEO: Isao Kaneko) and East Japan Railway Company (JR East) (President and CEO: Mutsutake Otsuka) have reached agreement to cooperate on a wide range of business activities with the aim of offering more of the services that their customers want and need.

The JAL Group, Japan's largest airline group, and JR East, Japan's largest railway company, will be working together on organic integration of their respective transportation services as they strive to improve convenience and performance for their customers and stimulate new demand. The first step is to issue a new card, the "JAL Card Suica", which combines the functions of JAL Group's "JAL Card" and JR East's "View Suica". The new card is expected to be issued around this winter.

The "JAL Card", a credit card issued by the JAL Group, has 1.22 million members and is used in about 746 billion yen worth of transactions per year. It also functions as a membership card for the "JAL Mileage Bank" (JMB). Members of the JMB can exchange the miles that they earn by taking domestic or international flights on JAL and its partner companies. With the largest number of registered members (15.88 million) of any such mileage programs in Japan, JMB makes it easy to earn and use miles, such as charging their ordinary purchases.

The "View Suica Card", issued by JR East, is a credit card integrated with the functions of the non-contact IC card "Suica" (8.31 million issued). It incorporates the "View Card", of which 2.59 million have been issued, and which is used in 257.6 billion yen worth of transactions per year. Since March 22, 2004, the "Suica Card" has functioned as electronic money for use in buying meals and shopping in stores located inside JR stations.

Resulting from the partnership between the JAL Group and JR East, the "JAL Card Suica" (which will function as a JCB Card overseas) will integrate the functions of the "JAL Card" and the "View Suica Card". Just one card will allow one to travel on JAL network flights, the Tokyo metropolitan area and Sendai area networks of JR East, the Tokyo Monorail, and the Tokyo Rinkai Line, all without using a single yen in cash.

"JAL Card Suica" holders will be able to exchange JMB miles for Suica charges twice a year. 10,000 miles will be worth 10,000 yen. The miles that they earned by flying and shopping can be exchanged not only for free airline tickets, upgrades on international flights, or JAL coupons, but also for credit on their Suica credit cards, making it possible to enjoy such benefits as train tickets and shopping in JR stations.

Furthermore, using "JAL Card Suica" to purchase commuter passes or for charging at JR stations earns "Thanks Points". Card holders can apply to have their "Thanks Points" converted into JAL miles.

Now customers have more opportunities than ever to earn miles, and they can exchange those miles for a greater variety of benefits.

We, the JAL Group and JR East, will continue to cooperate to provide various services that our customers want and need. By providing domestic and overseas tours, promoting ski tours, and encouraging people from overseas to visit Japan, we will strive to make travel more convenient for our customers and stimulate demand for our services.

Watch for more exciting developments from this borderless inter-company alliance between air and land.

Attachments:

1. The Alliance Between Our Two Companies Brings You Seamless Transportation [PDF/64KB]
2. Extra Benefits for Our Customers from the New Affiliated Card [PDF/165KB]
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