More Japanese women are fulfilling their dream in a field long dominated by men and have achieved what was once thought to be a pie in the sky for females — flying a commercial airplane.

"I had no idea why people used to say to me, 'No you can't be a pilot because you are a woman,' " said Kumiko Yamauchi, 31, who joined Air Nippon, an All Nippon Airways affiliate, in the 2004 business year and became its first female copilot in January 2007.

Nine female copilots fly for the ANA group, which promoted its first in June 2006. Ten more are in training.