Japan Airlines reported it carried a total of 55,985 passengers to Hawai'i during the Japanese New Year vacation period.

The airline said its Hawai'i-bound aircraft flew 87.4 percent full during the Dec. 25 to Jan. 5 period. Japan Airlines reported it cut the number of available seats to Hawai'i during the period as part of capacity reductions in its international operations.

The air carrier reported the Hawai'i route was the third-busiest international route during the period, with Southeast Asia (107,068) and China (61,736) accounting for more passengers.

$62M BIG ISLE VENEER MILL GETS FINANCING

Tradewinds Forest Products announced that it has obtained financing for a long-delayed veneer mill on the Big Island's Hāmākua coast, and that construction on the $62 million project should begin by March.

The mill, planned for roughly a decade in 'O'ōkala, is expected to produce 75 construction jobs over 12 months and 100 permanent jobs starting in the spring or summer of 2011, according to the company. About 60 additional jobs are expected to be created by logging contractors.

Tradewinds said the mill will be the first major addition of jobs for the Hāmākua coast since the demise of the sugar industry.

The veneer plant is being financed by Rockland Capital Energy Investors of Houston and GMO Renewable Resources of Boston.

The project, which includes a small electrical power plant fueled by residual wood material, was initially announced in 1999 as part of a plan by the state to harvest non-native timber in the 12,000-acre Waiākea Timber Management Area.

MESA AIR TO BE DELISTED FROM NASDAQ

A day after filing for bankruptcy, Mesa Air Group Inc. said its stock will be delisted from the Nasdaq Stock Market.

Mesa said trading of the common stock will be suspending at the opening of business on Jan. 14.

The company, which operates interisland carrier go! Mokulele under a joint venture, said its could be eligible to trade on the OTC Bulletin Board's "Pink Sheets" if a market maker files an application to register in and quote such securities.

Shares of the company ended trading at 5 cents each.

MAUI, HONOLULU IN SURVEY'S TOP 10 SITES

A survey of 521 travel professionals by Travel Leaders found that Maui and Honolulu are among the top 10 U.S. destinations for 2010.

Maui ranked as the fifth-most-booked destination, while Honolulu was sixth. The top spot was occupied by Orlando, Fla., and was followed by Las Vegas, Alaska cruises and New York City.

"Orlando landing at No. 1 shows the remarkable resiliency strength in family-oriented destinations, while Las Vegas appears to still be suffering unfairly from the intense scrutiny associated with last year's spate of canceled conventions, said Rober Block, president of Travel Leaders Franchise Group, in a news release.

Travel Leaders said it was the first time in seven years that Las Vegas didn't grab the top spot in the survey.

KīHEI DEVELOPMENT OBTAINS REFINANCING

CW Financial Services said it has provided $17.8 million in refinancing for Paradise Gardens, a 200-unit development in Kīhei, Maui.

The Boston-based company's CWCapital unit said it and Freddie Mac worked collaboratively to develop a refinancing strategy for the borrower, who was faced with a maturing loan on an over-leveraged property.

The development consists of four buildings on a 8.5-acre property and was built in 1990.

CPA FIRM CHANGES TITLE, ADDS PARTNERS

Kobayashi, Kanetoku, Doi, Lum & Yasuda CPAs is the new name of one of Honolulu's largest accounting firms, with the addition of new partners.

The firm, previously known as Kobayashi, Doi & Yasuda CPAs, recently welcomed Ralph Kanetoku and Maria Lowder as new partners.

Kanetoku joined as the firm's assurance partner and Lowder merged her tax practice with the firm.

The CPA practice also recently moved its Honolulu office to the Topa Financial Center.