A brief history of Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines Corp., which filed for bankruptcy Wednesday, was the country's first airline and the largest carrier in Asia. The following is a brief history of the company, also known as JAL:

_1951: JAL is founded in Tokyo while Japan is still under U.S. occupation. The company begins service with a DC 3 borrowed from Philippine Airlines. It offers domestic service with Northwest Airlines (now part of Delta) overseeing flight operations.

_1953: JAL is nationalized.

_1954: JAL begins first international route, to San Francisco.

_1987: JAL is privatized after growing to become one of the world's largest international carriers.

_2001: The state-run Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) loans 154 billion yen to JAL and 85 billion yen to ANA to help them overcome falling sales after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. JAL merges with smaller carrier Japan Air System.

_2003: The DBJ loans 70 billion yen to JAL as passenger numbers fall due to the SARS outbreak and the Iraq war.

_2005: JAL struggles with a series of minor but embarassing safety lapses, including the front tires of a plane coming off during landing and a pilot attempting to take off without approval from air traffic controllers. Company chairman Isao Kaneko resigns.

_2009: JAL receives a 100 billion yen loan deal from the DBJ and three commercial banks as it continues to struggle, losing 131.2 billion yen in the six months through September. The airline asks for more public funds, but a new government refuses, and the state-run Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corporation is brought in to oversee the company's revival.

_2010: JAL's shares plunge to 5 yen from 101 yen in a month on fears the issue will be removed from the stock exchange. JAL files for a government-led bankruptcy with 2.32 trillion ($25.6 billion) yen in debt.