Japan and the United States signed an “open skies” deal today to

Japan and the United States signed an “open skies” deal today to further liberalise commercial aviation and allow more airline alliance cooperation on flights between North America and Asia.

Tokyo and Washington agreed to the idea in December 2009 in an effort to allow carriers from the two countries to work together more closely in setting fares, routes and schedules and cutting costs.

At a ceremony in Tokyo today, Japanese Transport Minister Sumio Mabuchi and US ambassador to Japan John Roos signed the memorandum of understanding paving the way for airlines to implement the deal.

“As of today’s signing, Japanese and US aviation industries are fully liberalised,” said a Japanese transport ministry statement.

The deal allows carriers to work “more closely in setting fares, arrange flight schedules and routes and coordinate on cost savings through increasing code share flights and other operational methods,” said Geoffrey Tudor, a Tokyo-based analyst at Japan Aviation Management Research.

While the carriers have already begun some code-sharing operations, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways will also gain immunity from US anti-trust laws to allow closer collaboration with their partners.

Read more at AFP.