The Min. for Foreign Affairs is to raise the issue of fast tracking Ireland - Japan routes in talks with his Japanese opposite number. The minister said that Japan was our biggest trading partner in Asia and that Ireland would be of great interest to Japanese golfers.
Personally I hope something comes of this, but I would think freight links would/should be the priority. Pax flights should definitely happen, but when - well, that's another issue. A330-200s would definitely be the right aircraft for the job.
Not to sound like a broken record, but I think this is exactly the kind of situation where Dublin Airport's failed planning is most evident. In virtually any other major airport in Europe, this would not be a problem - even in the new EU member states, our competition. Dublin should be able to accommodate the cargo growth such routes would allow; again, its runway should be able to offer the potential of nonstop flights by large (particularly cargo aircraft); neither can happen. If DUB is as critical to the infrastructure as the govt says it is (and you can't argue with that), then IT needs to take a more hands on approach and make it happen.
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ire...OLFLIGHTS.html