This was circa 1990 and what I remember is that AA applied for LAX-NRT route authority and didn't get it but was offered SJC-NRT instead (at a time when SJC runway wasn't long enough for such service). Lots of politics involved (the SJC airport name gives a broad hint at that). So AA made an omelette out of broken eggs and introduced a brilliant idea: the silicon express. BOS-SJC-NRT service. Tying together the high-tech centers in MA and CA to Japan. Worked quite well for a decade, but the route has been unprofitable since UA went into bankruptcy and started offering too many incentives. Meanwhile AA got their LAX-NRT route last year and it is working well for them after a slow start. With JL entering OW there was just no point in having an odd flight that couldn't develop adequate feed; AA will build with JL at LAX and/or SFO instead.