(Joint Release) JR West and JAL Conclude Agreement on "Strengthening Collaboration for Solving Social Issues in the West Japan Area"

April 30, 2026 West Japan Railway Company Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. ⚫West Japan Railway Company (Head office: Osaka, Osaka Prefecture; President: Shoji Kurasaka; hereinafter "JR West") and Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (Head office: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President: Mitsuko Tottori; hereinafter "JAL") concluded an agreement on "Strengthening Collaboration for Solving Social Issues in the West Japan Area" on Thursday, April 30, 2026. ⚫The two companies position the initiatives under this agreement as a "co-creation ecosystem of travel experiences" and will leverage the strengths of both rail and air to challenge the provision of the following three values: ① "Enhancing Customer Experience Value" through seamless rail and air booking. ② "Expanding the Exchange Population" centered on inbound tourists, by establishing wide-area tourist routes. ③ "Expanding the Related Population" by promoting dual-location living. 1. Purpose of Concluding the Partnership Agreement The initiatives developed based on this agreement are positioned as a "co-creation ecosystem of travel experiences," aiming to provide three "values": "enhancing customer experience value," "expanding the exchange population," and "expanding the related population." By combining the strengths and assets of both groups, the objective is to solve social issues faced by regions in the West Japan area through the provision of various travel experience values. Furthermore, as Japan's population continues to decline, attracting inbound tourists to regional areas is as crucial as regional revitalization. By strategically generating wide-area human flow through rail and air collaboration, the aim is to promote regional tourism and achieve both sustainable regional economic revitalization. 2. Three Values to be Provided through JR West and JAL's Initiatives (1) "Enhancing Customer Experience Value" through seamless rail and air booking. ~Aiming to achieve seamless rail and air booking by around 2030s~ The two companies aim to achieve seamless rail and air booking by linking their reservation systems in the future. Specifically, by around the 2030s, the goal is for both rail and air to be reservable and payable from each company's reservation system using each company's member ID. Firstly, initiatives such as recommending railways including the Limited Express "Haruka" departing from and arriving at Kansai Airport Station, and passes allowing convenient travel around West Japan, on JAL's official social media will be considered. (2) "Expanding the Exchange Population" centered on inbound tourists, by establishing wide-area tourist routes. In the West Japan area, popular among inbound tourists, tourist content in cooperation with local communities will be further refined to establish wide-area touring routes to the Kansai, Chugoku, and San'in regions. Furthermore, by seamlessly connecting international arrival/departure airports (Haneda, Narita, Kansai) with domestic flights and various railway networks, we aim to expand inbound tourism to the West Japan area and resolve overtourism in specific regions, thereby extending the overall stay duration in the area and realizing sustainable economic ripple effects. As an example, collaborative measures in the Wakayama area will be strengthened in fiscal year 2026. In addition to setting up travel products linking JAL domestic flights and JR West's touring passes, special services (local guidance, food experiences, etc.) by JAL cabin attendants are planned to be offered on some cars of JR West's Limited Express "Kuroshio" (*1). Joint launch of "Inbound Travel Product Model Project" (June 2026~) (*1) In September 2024, travel products combining JAL and Kuroshio were announced in a press release (Kuroshio only for some trains). URL: https://www.westjr.co.jp/press/article/items/240902_00_press_shirahama_jalpack.pdf "Establishment of tourist routes linking rail and air (model routes from international flights)" (3) "Expanding the Related Population" by promoting dual-location living. ~Implementation of the "West Japan Dual-Location Living (tentative name)" program~ In fiscal year 2025, the JAL Group implemented the dual-location living program "Tsunagaru, Dual-Location Living (*2)" to reduce transportation costs using miles. This program attracted much interest and received positive feedback from both participants and local governments. In fiscal year 2026, based on the knowledge gained so far, JR West and JAL plan to jointly implement a new "West Japan Dual-Location Living (tentative name)" program. Through a program concept involving rail and air, by utilizing WESTER points and JAL Mileage, the aim is to reduce the transportation costs borne by dual-location residents and strongly promote dual-location living in the West Japan area. Specifically, we will proceed with discussions with local governments and regional stakeholders, so please look forward to future initiatives. Through the collaboration of both companies in this program, we aim to promote a new lifestyle of dual-location living and contribute to the expansion of the related population in the West Japan area, regardless of whether they reside in the Tokyo metropolitan area. (*2) "Tsunagaru"