The nation's only seaplane company is thinking of launching a new service for tourists next spring to show off parts of western Japan facing the Sea of Japan and the Seto Inland Sea.

Setouchi Seaplanes plans to fly its amphibious Kodiak 100s between the Sanin and Sanyo regions. Poor transportation between the two regions has also prompted municipalities to examine the possibility of using its services for travel to remote islands and locations.

"We'd like to start by making the new flight service a bridge connecting the Sanin and Sanyo areas, and eventually expand operations all over Japan so our flights will become an everyday means of transportation," said Tsutomu Ishimoto, 60, the planning manager for the Hiroshima-based company.