Transport Minister: JAL unlikely to decide between AA and Delta this month

In a report from the Business Week regarding AA may cut Japan capacity if Japan Airlines ends its ties with them, there was a quote from Transport Minister of Japan, Seiji Maehara. Apparently Maehara has told reporters that JAL is unlikely to pick its alliance this month. This contradicts with what JAL said earlier that it will decide on the alliance by early January. This has dragged on for too long already. The earlier JAL makes the decision, the earlier they could file ATI application together and ends all those questions about whether my award tickets be honored on FlyerTalk :P