Japanese carrier to launch Houston-Tokyo service

A Japan's All Nippon Airways aricraft flies over Tokyo bay in this file photo. See other major cities that you can reach directly from Houston. A Japan's All Nippon Airways aricraft flies over Tokyo bay in this file photo. See other major cities that you can reach directly from Houston. Photo: SUB Photo: SUB Image 1 of / 102 Caption Close Japanese carrier to launch Houston-Tokyo service 1 / 102 Back to Gallery

All Nippon Airways will launch service to and from Houston next year, adding another nonstop daily flight between Houston and Tokyo, the Japanese carrier announced Thursday.

ANA, Japan's leading airline, will fly between Bush Intercontinental and Tokyo's Narita International Airport. ANA will begin taking reservations next Wednesday and the flight on a Boeing 777 aircraft will begin June 12.

This nonstop route will be in addition to two nonstop flights United Airlines offers to Tokyo. The Chicago-based airline added a second nonstop flight last year.

"Houston's dynamic economy and diverse population continue to strengthen its position on the world stage," Mayor Annise Parker, who recently led a 30-member delegation of city officials and business leaders on a weeklong trade mission to South Korea and Tokyo, said in a statement. "All Nippon Airways' commitment is an example of Houston's enhanced status as a gateway city and a key player in the global marketplace."

This flight will mark the 10th destination for the airline in North America. ANA president and CEO Osamu Shinobe said in a statement that the Houston flight will help connect Japan to other locations in Central and South America.

The announcement from ANA comes at a time when Houston's airports are experiencing unprecedented levels of international air travel. Travel in Asia contributed to a record-setting year in 2013 for international passengers traveling through Bush Intercontinental. Turkish Airlines, Air China and Korean Air all announced new nonstop daily routes between Houston and Istanbul, Beijing and Seoul, respectively, last year.

"Our mission is to connect the people, businesses, cultures and economies of the world to Houston," said Houston aviation director Mario Diaz. "Establishing and maintaining a strong level of connectivity throughout the Asian region is absolutely essential in accomplishing this mission and the arrival of ANA is a tremendous step forward in this regard."