The transport ministry plans to issue a directive that will require pilots to obey their computers rather than air traffic controllers in the event of conflicting orders, ministry sources said.
The Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry plans to issue the directive in the wake of a near miss in January 2001 between two Japan Airlines jets.
Pilots will basically follow instructions from the Traffic Collision Avoidance System on their aircraft even if controllers issue different instructions during dangerous in-flight situations, the sources said Tuesday.