I'm a regular around the Hhonors thread, and found Flyertalk an amazing resource in planning my honeymoon to HI and follow up trip to Vietnam. I'm new to the Japan subforum, but I've done a bit of reading to think that my question merits a new thread. A thread was posted about flying from Japan to UK in June and noted that the prices were outrageous. My post is similar but different and I thought it might be best to ask this in a separate place.

Basically my friend is in Sendai, Japan and is looking to come home (PA, USA) with her husband for our fellow friend's wedding. She had prices previously (a month ago?) that were more reasonable, but now, most of the flights are ~2000.

To make things oddly more complicated, she was hoping to "double dip" across the US to visit with his family in Phoenix on the trip, too. What I know about what they are looking to do is this:
Leave Tokyo on aug 7, 8, 9, or 10 to phoenix (Via LAX?)
Leave pheonix on aug 14, 15, or 16 to Pittsburgh.
Leave USA for Tokyo on aug 22.

I think part of their problem might be with coming into a west coast city and out of an east cost city. They might be best off flying into and out of LAX and then getting a domestic flight independent of the international flight.

Any possible thoughts for ways to search or places to look would be incredibly much appreciated. Thanks again in advance!