Japan Air Lines Co., Ltd. was established on 1 August 1951, with the government of Japan recognizing the need for a reliable air transportation system to help Japan grow in the aftermath of the World War II. The airline was founded with an initial capital of ¥100 million; and its headquarters located in Ginza, Chūō, Tokyo. Between 27 and 29 August, the airline operated invitational flights on a Douglas DC-3 Kinsei, leased from Philippine Airlines. On 25 October, Japan's first post-war domestic airline service was inaugurated, using a Martin 2-0-2 aircraft, named Mokusei, and crew leased from Northwest Airlines.
On 1 August 1953, the Diet of Japan passed the Japan Air Lines Company Act,[4] forming a new state-owned Japan Air Lines on 1 October, which assumed all assets and liabilities of its private predecessor.[5][6][7][8] By 1953 the JAL network extended northward from Tokyo to Sapporo and Misawa, and westward to Nagoya, Osaka, Iwakuni and Fukuoka.[9]
On 2 February 1954 the airline began international flights, carrying 18 passengers from Tokyo to San Francisco on a Douglas DC-6B City of Tokyo via Wake Island and Honolulu.[5][8][10][11] The flights between Tokyo and San Francisco are still Flights 1 and 2, to commemorate its first international service.[12] The early flights were advertised as being operated by American crews and serviced by United Air Lines in San Francisco.[13]
The airline, in addition to the Douglas DC-3, Douglas DC-6B and Martin 2-0-2s, operated Douglas DC-4 and Douglas DC-7C during the 1950s.[5] JAL flew to Hong Kong via Okinawa by 1955, having pared down its domestic network to Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka and Sapporo.[14] By 1958 the Hong Kong route had been extended to Bangkok and Singapore.[15] With DC-7Cs JAL was able to fly nonstop between Seattle and Tokyo in 1959.[1