Malaysia Airlines and Japan Airlines are moving to deepen their relationship with a partnership they hope will grow traffic and benefit passengers flying between the two countries. The airlines signed a memorandum of understanding for a joint business agreement to take their relationship beyond the codeshare agreement launched in 2012. This will include exploring collaboration in other operation areas such as cargo and jointly developing tourism in both markets. The deal is still subject to regulatory approval and both carriers have applied to their respective regulators seeking anti-trust immunity and exemptions. READ: Why long-haul sleeper berths may not be bunkum. The airlines say they will strive to deliver “convenient travel options with a comprehensive customer network”. Malaysia Airlines operates 12 times weekly service and JAL a seven times weekly service between Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo. Malaysia also operates a daily Kuala Lumpur-Osaka service and twice-weekly service from Kota Kinabalu to Tokyo “This partnership will provide better efficiencies and a more comprehensive network for our customers whilst also playing a key role in further strengthening trade ties between Malaysia and Japan, increasing tourism and promoting Kuala Lumpur International Airport as an air hub,’’ Malaysia Airlines group chief executive Izham Ismail said in the partnership announcement. “The start of this joint business between Malaysia Airlines and Japan Airlines is an important milestone of our Long Term Business Plan which looks to explore more strategic opportunities as well as deepen more partnerships.” Japan Airlines president Yuji Akasaka said the partnership could potentially increase traffic between the two countries and open up commercial opportunities. The Malaysian Government has been looking at ways of turning around its financially-troubled national carrier and at one point even raised the prospect of shutting it down. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said earlier this month that the government had yet to receive a “proper solution that can actually succeed in our opinion”.