JAL and ANA removed 'China' from references to Taiwan on their websites (Photo by FB 永山英樹) JAL and ANA removed 'China' from references to Taiwan on their websites (Photo by FB 永山英樹)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – In apparent response to an online protest by a Japanese expert on Taiwan affairs, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways have swiftly corrected their reference to Taiwan on their respective websites, less than 24 hours after they changed Taiwan's status to "Taiwan, China" in the latest case of international airlines kowtowing to China.

Hideki Nagayama (永山英樹), the head of a Japanese forum on “Taiwan Studies” who is known for efforts to advocate the “Taiwan Name Rectification Campaign,” launched an online initiative through Facebook on June 7.

He demanded Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) to address the recent decision of listing Taiwan as part of China on their websites, deploring the move as a violation of justice while doing harm to the feelings of Taiwanese people, reported UDN.

The cause had gained strong support from the online community and Nagayama later declared in another Facebook post that the two airlines had removed “China” from their reference to Taiwan on their websites in less than 24 hours. The U-turn by the airlines in such a short span of time was welcomed by Nagayama, who expressed relief over learning that “Japanese corporations still have a conscience,” the Liberty Times quoted.

Not long after the successful campaign, Nagayama’s Facebook page was awash with comments from Taiwanese netizens who showed their gratitude to his standing up for Taiwan. In reply, the Japanese expert on Taiwan issues left a comment in Chinese, “Taiwan belongs to its people. Don’t sell the island out to foreign countries.”