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[TOKYO] Japan Airlines Co, Asia's largest airline, is "considering" joining oneworld, the airline alliance led by AMR Corp's American Airlines and British Airways plc, president Isao Kaneko said.

"In the past year, we have been setting up bilateral agreements with foreign carriers like American, Swissair, BA and Cathay," said Mr Kaneko, 61. "We have expanded our coverage, and we are ready to think about global alliances."

Mr Kaneko's comment is the clearest signal yet JAL will join the grouping, analysts said. oneworld, the world's second-largest airline grouping after Star Alliance, has been courting Tokyo-based JAL as airlines worldwide race to form partnerships and increasingly rely on them as a way to serve more destinations without investing in other carriers.

JAL's main rival All Nippon Airways Co, Asia's second largest airline, will in October join Star Alliance, led by UAL Corp's United Airlines and Deutsche Lufthansa AG. That move, analysts said, adds to the pressure on JAL to join an alliance.

"It's a natural progression" for JAL to join oneworld, said Douglas Hayashi, a senior analyst at HSBC Securities Co, who rates JAL stock "sell."

JAL has separate marketing partnerships with five members of oneworld, BA, American, Qantas Airways Ltd of Australia, Hongkong-based Cathay Pacific Airways and Canadian Airlines Corp. and has repeatedly said that its "main task is to ensure the success of bilateral alliances we have," according to Mr Kaneko.

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