On Saturday, 17 October, the help alliance Japan (HAJ) team participated in Tokyo Yamathon 2026. At the invitation of the Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (SCCIJ), which supports Swiss-Japan Faces of Hope, a project
dedicated to supporting cancer research conducted by researchers at Kyoto University, we joined forces with Swiss companies including On, the Swiss sportswear brand, and Zurich Insurance to take part in the charity run as Team Switzerland. The Tokyo Yamathon normally challenges participants to cover all 30
stations on the Yamanote Line, a distance of approximately 42 km. This time, we took part in a 10 km course covering eight Yamanote Line stations from Tokyo Station to Osaki Station. We started at the Marunouchi side of Tokyo Station and made our way through Yurakucho, Shimbashi, Hamamatsucho, Tamachi, Takanawa Gateway and Shinagawa before reaching the finish line at Osaki
Station. One of the requirements for completing the challenge was to take a team photo with the station sign at each stop. Walking and running along a route that we usually travel by train gave us an opportunity to see the Yamanote Line and the city from a completely different perspective. Along the way, we made new
discoveries and also had a glimpse into Tokyo’s history This was the first time that help alliance Japan participated in Tokyo Yamathon. As Swiss
International Air Lines, a member of the SCCIJ, it was a valuable opportunity for us to come together with other Swiss organisations as Team Switzerland and
contribute to this meaningful initiative. The experience was also an important step in further developing HAJ’s activities in Japan. We look forward to continuing to organise and participate in a variety of events and initiatives. Thank you for your continued support of help alliance Japan. Participants：Swiss AviationSoftware & Lufthansa, Passenger Airline

On October 3, a “flight experience” event hosted by the Lufthansa Group took place at Kansai International Airport/KIX as part of the “Good Gohan” project—a food assistance initiative for single-parent families organized by the certified NPO “Good Neighbors Japan”. The event was attended by 42 participants across 18
families, alongside 20 staff members from ANA Kansai Airport (which handles support operations for Lufthansa), 9 from Kansai Airports (KAP, the airport company), and 24 from Lufthansa Group. *Lufthansa(Passenger), Cargo and Swiss Aviation Software.
At the Terminal 1 Counter D, check-in procedures for the Munich-bound flight LH743 were conducted alongside the event reception. Participants were presented with items such as special ANA made boarding passes and information leaflets designed to resemble passports, allowing them to enjoy the atmosphere of an overseas trip. The flight crew for LH743 also joined the group, taking
commemorative photos and communicationg with the participants.
Part 1: Special Bus Tour
Tour participants passed through the security checkpoint just like actual international passengers and walked through areas such as the newly renovated duty-free zone to reach Bus Gate 102, the starting point of the bus tour. Parked
right in front at Spot 18 was the A350-900 (D-AIXF) serving the Munich-bound
Flight LH743; its imposing presence drew exclamations of amazement from the
group. Mini-events were held here as well, featuring a demonstration of boarding
announcements in both English and Japanese by ANA staff, and a live broadcast
introducing the work of ramp staff who were loading cargo onto the aircraft. At
one point, the pilots even waved from the cockpit. The bus tour, specially arranged by KAP for the occasion, departed from Gate 102 slightly ahead of Flight LH743. The group boarded two buses(Car#1 named MUNICH and Car#2 named FRANKFURT) and set off for a surprise destination. just as you would when actually boarding. In 2007, Kansai International Airport (KIX) began operating Runway B—located on the “Phase 2 Island” created through offshore expansion—establishing the current two-runway system. Operations on the day of the visit followed this standard configuration, with takeoffs assigned to Runway B and landings to Runway A. For this bus tour, KAP arranged a dedicated parking spot for two buses, positioning them to provide a close-up view of flight LH743 taking
off. This setup allowed participants to witness the impressive departure of the long-haul aircraft and observe its turn toward Awaji Island after becoming airborne. The spot where the two buses parked is normally used by FedEx (a dedicated cargo airline); however, after KAP negotiated with them, FedEx—supporting the purpose of this initiative—graciously agreed to let us use the space. Furthermore, the “Panda Express” (B777F / N868FD)—a
specially liveried aircraft commemorating FedEx’s panda transport operations—was in service that day. Thanks to FedEx’s thoughtful arrangements, the aircraft was positioned to park near where our buses were stationed. Both the children
and their parents were thrilled by this and eagerly took photos.
Afterward, the group moved to the main fire station, where a special water discharge demonstration using a chemical fire truck was conducted. The children were delighted by the various demonstrations, including a simulation of extinguishing a fire inside an aircraft cabin—which involved spraying water through a hole pierced in the fuselage. KAP also shared interesting trivia—such as why the fire trucks are painted yellow (to improve visibility at night) and why the “Phase 2 Island” (home to Runway B) was built at a higher elevation to account for anticipated ground subsidence, resulting in a slope when traveling between
the Phase 2 and Phase 1 (terminal) islands. This provided an excellent opportunity not only to tour the Lufthansa flight but also to gain a broader understanding of KIX as a whole.
Part 2: Ceremony
After the bus tour, the event moved to the Special Room at the Kansai International Airport Observation Hall for a ceremony that also included lunch. Three cabin crew members, who had arrived from Munich the previous day, joined the proceedings, adding a touch of glamour to the occasion. The venue was beautifully decorated by ANA, creating a festive atmosphere. Guests were served bento boxes (child meals) prepared by AASC—the company responsible for Lufthansa’s in-flight meals—and enjoyed a packed program that featured an ANA-produced video introducing the various jobs involved in the operation, paper airplane making, a quiz contest, and an aviation class led by our maintenance engineers (KIX SW). Representatives from ANA Kansai Airport CEO and the Kansai Airports GM attended the ceremony, and we took the opportunity to express our gratitude for the collaboration among the three companies that made this event possible. To conclude the event, “Sorayan”—the official mascot of Kansai International Airport—made an appearance. The mascot delighted not only the children but also our own cabin crew. As Sorayan departed, we presented the mascot with a rubber duck provided by the help alliance headquarters in Germany and an assortment of novelty items contributed by the participating companies, bringing the entire event to a close. Once again, we would like to thank everyone from our partner companies and within our own organization for their cooperation.