Japan to lift ban on Boeing 787 this week

TOKYO - Japanese transport minister Akihiro Ota said Tuesday the ministry will lift the grounding of Boeing 787 jets as early as this week, after US aviation regulators approved Boeing's new battery system for the dreamliner last Friday, local media reported.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism will officially announce the lifting after the two-day public hearing by the US National Transportation Safety Board starting Tuesday, according to Kyodo News Agency.

All Nippon Airways Co and Japan Airlines Co are expected to resume commercial flights in June after completing modifications to their 787 fleets, said the report.

The US Federal Aviation Administration has approved Boeing's design for modifications to the plane's battery system and is expected to allow US carriers to resume 787 operations this week, said Kyodo.