All Nippon Airways Co. expects annual sales at its budget airline joint venture with Malaysia's AirAsia Bhd. to exceed ¥100 billion in five to six years after it starts operations next year, the company's president said in a recent interview.

"If it acquires 30 aircraft in five to six years as planned now, its sales will easily exceed ¥100 billion a year," Shinichiro Ito said of AirAsia Japan Co., which will next August begin offering flights to and from Narita International Airport.

The expected annual sales for AirAsia Japan could eclipse the ¥58 billion in the year ending this past March at Skymark Airlines Inc., which has taken advantage of lower fares to boost its earnings in the country.