JAL is providing a number of ways of support for the Japan national team participating in the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai.
JAL is a supporter of Special Olympics Nippon, the Japan branch of the Special Olympics. For the 2007 Summer Games, JAL will provide assistance to Special Olympics Nippon by providing air transportation to the team of athletes from Japan and SON members of staff. JAL staff are being encouraged to support the Special Olympics through voluntary activities. The airline is also encouraging members of its frequent flyer program, the JAL Mileage Bank, to support Special Olympics Nippon by donating miles from their accounts.
Through the "JAL Miles for Special Olympic" campaign, JAL Mileage Bank members can make mile donations from their accounts in units of 10,000 miles to assist the Japan team participating in this year's World Summer Games. Counting one mile as one yen, JAL will donate the equivalent amount in cash to Special Olympics Nippon. The period for making donations is from August 1 through October 31, 2007. JMB members worldwide can make donations by contacting their regional JMB Center.
JAL says it first started supporting the Special Olympics when the 2005 World Winter Games was held in Nagano, Japan. The airline dispatched staff to the Games office, placed SON's logo on JAL aircraft, and promoted the event on board its aircraft. Also volunteers from the JAL Group set up a welcome center at Narita Airport, especially for the games to assist athletes coming in from other countries. In November 2006, JAL contributed to the "2006 4th Special Olympics Japan Summer National Games in Kumamoto" by providing air transportation and by encouraging JMB members to donate their miles in support of SON.
From October 2 through October 11, 2007, more than 7,000 athletes from more than 169 countries and regions will compete in 24 different Olympic-type and demonstration sports under the theme "I know I can" at the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai.
