History of non-stop flights from Boston to Asia?

I recently read that JAL is starting service non-stop from Boston to Tokyo Narita Airport beginning in 2012, and that this will be the first non-stop flight between Boston and any Asian city/country in a while. What is the history of non-stop flight from Boston to Asia prior to JAL in 2012? What country was last served from Boston without having to go through another major hub like New York or Los Angeles?