Japan Airlines Co. unveiled at Tokyo's Haneda airport Tuesday a Boeing 767 plane bearing images of Japan's rugby players ahead of the Rugby World Cup starting in September.

The new airplane livery is being used to promote support for Japan's teams both in the upcoming World Cup games to be held through November and the World Wheelchair Rugby Challenge to be hosted by Tokyo in October, according to JAL.

Images of Japan's national rugby team members including Michael Leitch are printed on the left side of the plane, while the right side is decorated with images of the wheelchair rugby team including Daisuke Ikezaki. Above the players is the message "Go for it!"

The first decorated airplane left Haneda for Hakodate in northern Japan on Tuesday. The plane will fly from Tokyo to various locations across the country until December, JAL said.

Ikezaki and Japanese rugby superstar Ayumu Goromaru attended an unveiling ceremony on Tuesday, although the player who competed in the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England was not depicted on the airplane.

"I've loved airplanes since I was a kid, and I'm grateful that the national team is being represented on the aircraft," Goromaru said.

"I'd like to encourage enthusiasm and spread the appeal of rugby," Ikezaki said.

The 2019 Rugby World Cup will be held at 12 venues across Japan with 20 national teams participating.


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