European aircraft manufacturer Airbus hopes to persuade Japanese companies to take part in the production of the its midsized long-haul A350 XWB carrier, an Airbus spokeswoman said Wednesday. "We have always wanted to be present in Japan with the A350," she said.
"We have always wanted to invite Japanese companies to manufacture it," she said, adding that Airbus hoped to be able to announce a decision on Japanese partners at the end of this year or early in 2008.