So, I've been a regular but infrequent flier for the past 25 years or so, and
have constantly failed to maintain membership in any sort of programme/scheme,
though even if I had, due to intervals between flights and randomly changing
carriers I'd probably be still at "mouldy rust" status allowing
me to sniff discarded business class boarding cards

Anyway, it's likely I'll be making an annual trip (in business) from Tokyo
to the UK (and back) for the next couple of years, plus the odd other
Japan-Europe or Japan-North America trip (sitting at the back)
so would like to establish whether all these miles and points would
add up to anything useful.

Upcoming trip is on Finnair in business class; I've signed up for the Finnair
programme. Any advice gratefully received, the more I read this forum
the less I understand.

1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
Anything which makes flying less unpleasant. I mean, I kind of like being on airplanes, and sitting on the observation deck at an airport with a beer watching them landing and departing, it's the bits inbetween which are annoying.

2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?

Typically 25000 ~ 50000 (though so far I've not flown once this year); see (5) below.

3. What fare class do you usually buy?
economy (usually), premium economy (rarely), business (seldom, probably 1x annually from now on)

4a. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service?

Depends on timings and budget available; some leeway regarding
airlines/route generally possible.

4b. Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Both

5. Which routes do you fly most often?

In a typical year:
1 x Tokyo ~ UK (pleasure)
1 x Tokyo ~ Canada *or* Tokyo ~ Europe (work)

6. What is your home airport?
Tokyo (Narita or Haneda)

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?
Nope. Well I have vague memories of signing up for these things then forgetting about them.

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
Any not called "Aeroflot" or "RyanAir" and which don't allow live goats into the cabin.