U.S. Department of 

Transportation 

Office of ihe Secreta IV 

of Transportation 

Mr. Bill Wyatt 

Executive Director, Port of Portland 

7200 NE Airport Way 

Portland, OR 97218 

Dear Director Wyatt: 

Assiswnt · ..... ni 

, , ,_, ., ' 1200 New Jersey Ave .. S.E 

Washington. DC 20590 

SEP 15 ~0:141 

Thank you for your letter regarding opportunities for U.S. carriers at Tokyo's Haneda airport. 

Secretary Foxx has asked me to respond on his behalf. 

We share the goal of achieving commercially meaningful opportunities for increased service 

between U.S. airports and Haneda. In April, we held informative meetings in Washington, DC, 

with our Japanese counterparts. Subsequently, the Government of Japan released a report on 

ways in which it could increase capacity at Haneda. On September 17-18, representatives from 

the Departments of Transportation and State will meet with their Japanese counterparts in Tokyo 

to analyze the report and to discuss other opportunities to expand air service. Although we do 

not foresee reaching an agreement on increased access at Haneda during the September 

meetings, we expect to develop a clearer understanding of the Japanese Government's t1exibility 

regarding Haneda airport access and will reiterate the U.S. Government's strong desire to 

increase access for U.S. carriers. 

I appreciate your interest in this matter. 

Sincerely, 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
Mission: To enhance the region's economy and qualily of life by providin>J efficient cargo and air passenger access to national and global markets. 

August 11,2014 

Honorable John Kerry 

Secretary, U.S. Department of State 

2201 C Street, N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20520 

Honorable Anthony Foxx 

Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey A venue, S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Dear Secretary Kerry and Secretary Foxx: 

I am writing to convey the strong concern of the Port of Portland over proposals to 

further reopen Haneda Airport in Tokyo on a piecemeal basis. Any additional 

incremental opening of Haneda Airport could jeopardize Delta Air Lines' nonstop service 

between Portland, Oregon and Tokyo. 

The Port of Portland is a consolidated public port authority that O\vns and operates 

Portland International Airport (PDX), as well as several marine terminals and business 

parks. The Port and its partners value the significant benefits that nonstop international 

air service provides to the Portland-Vancouver region, and we have worked extremely 

hard over many years to recruit and retain such service. 

Delta provides the only nonstop air service between Portland and Tokyo. The service 

facilitates important economic, cultural, educational, and tourism links between 

Oregon/southwest Washington and Japan and the rest of Asia. In fact, an analysis by the 

Port of Portland estimates that Delta's service to Tokyo generates more than I ,500 jobs, 

$51 million in income, and $5 million in local and state taxes in Oregon/southvvest 

Washington. Given these economic benefits, you can understand that the Port would be 

concerned with any change in access to Hanecla that could adversely affect this unique 

asset. 

As you know, the United States and Japan entered into an "Open Skies'' agreement in 

2010, but access to Haneda Airport remains restricted. Although enough capacity exists 

at Haneda to serve all U.S. carrier needs, Japan has insisted on a limited opening 

designed to benefit Japanese airlines. In order to have true Open Skies, Delta Air Lines 

and other U.S. carriers must be allowed to move their nights from Narita Airport to 

Haneda Airport. 

7200 NE Airport Way Portland OR 97218 

Box 3529 Porllnnd OR 97208 

503.415.6000 
Therefore, the Japanese government should make enough Haneda capacity available so 

all U.S. carriers can compete on a level playing field with Japan's airlines. Instead, Japan 

has repeatedly insisted that no further capacity exists at Haneda, followed by inadequate 

proposals of small, incremental openings that would benefit their airlines. 

For example, in 2010, Japan stated that no more capacity existed at Haneda, which led to 

a special restrictive annex in the U.S.-Japan Open Skies agreement limiting Haneda 

access to four roundtrips each for U.S. and Japanese carriers. In 2011, Japan decided to 

increase international capacity at Haneda by 40 roundtrips per day, but only four of those 

additional roundtrips were offered to U.S. carriers. Now a new Japanese government 

study has confirmed the U.S. position that Haneda has significant unused capacity. 

As the U.S. and Japanese governments continue to discuss additional access to Haneda 

Airport, I urge you to work to fully open Haneda to create fair competition and a level 

playing field for all U.S. carriers. Thank you very much for your consideration of the 

Port of Portland's views on this matter. 

Bill Wyatt 

Executive Director 

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