Japan Airlines Corp., undergoing a state-backed rehabilitation process, plans to sell its hotel operator, JAL Hotels Co., to the operator of Hotel Okura, sources said Friday.

Hotel Okura Tokyo Co. aims to further expand its business through the acquisition of JAL Hotels, the sources said.

JAL Hotel now operates 41 hotels in Japan, including Hotel Nikko Tokyo in the Odaiba waterfront area, and 17 overseas.

Hotel Okura will consider changing the hotel brand name from JAL Hotels to Hotel Okura, the sources said.