Fresh data from the OAG schedule analyser, published by industry portal AeroRoutes on 26 January, show just how severe the retrenchment on China–Japan air links has become. Comparing filings made on 25 January with those of mid-November, Chinese carriers have reduced planned February departures from 4,508 to 1,783 flights – a loss of 60.5 % – and seats from 860,947 to 370,146. March tells a similar story, with 63.4 % of flights and 60.2 % of seats wiped from the boards.
The cuts hit Osaka Kansai hardest, where February flights drop almost 72 % year-on-year. Even Tokyo’s Haneda and Narita airports, normally protected by strong business demand, face double-digit percentage declines. Air China has cancelled its Beijing–Sapporo service entirely, while China Eastern and Spring Airlines are slashing multiple Osaka and Sapporo frequencies. Smaller carriers such as Juneyao, Shandong and Xiamen Airlines have followed suit, reflecting weak forward bookings and operational risk.
![Chinese airlines cut over 60 % of Japan capacity for February–March schedules]()
For travelers suddenly faced with rerouted itineraries and tight turnaround times, VisaHQ can smooth at least one part of the journey. The company’s China team (https://www.visahq.com/china/) monitors changing consular requirements in real time and can expedite Chinese business or tourist visas, allowing corporate mobility managers and individual passengers to focus on securing the few remaining seats rather than scrambling for paperwork.
The capacity cliff has immediate consequences for global-mobility planners. Corporations with manufacturing footprints in the Kansai and Tokai regions report difficulty sourcing seats for essential maintenance staff, with some now routing via Seoul or Taipei. Freight forwarders worry about belly-hold shortages just as semiconductor supply chains ramp up for post-New-Year production.
Aviation analysts note that the pullback effectively resets the market to early-pandemic size; February 2020 saw 2,457 one-way flights – still higher than the 1,783 now planned. Recovery prospects hinge on Japan’s security outlook and consumer sentiment: if neither improves by April, airlines may redeploy aircraft to Southeast Asia, where demand is booming. Travel buyers are advised to lock in critical March itineraries quickly and to build contingencies via alternative hubs.
The cuts hit Osaka Kansai hardest, where February flights drop almost 72 % year-on-year. Even Tokyo’s Haneda and Narita airports, normally protected by strong business demand, face double-digit percentage declines. Air China has cancelled its Beijing–Sapporo service entirely, while China Eastern and Spring Airlines are slashing multiple Osaka and Sapporo frequencies. Smaller carriers such as Juneyao, Shandong and Xiamen Airlines have followed suit, reflecting weak forward bookings and operational risk.
For travelers suddenly faced with rerouted itineraries and tight turnaround times, VisaHQ can smooth at least one part of the journey. The company’s China team (https://www.visahq.com/china/) monitors changing consular requirements in real time and can expedite Chinese business or tourist visas, allowing corporate mobility managers and individual passengers to focus on securing the few remaining seats rather than scrambling for paperwork.
The capacity cliff has immediate consequences for global-mobility planners. Corporations with manufacturing footprints in the Kansai and Tokai regions report difficulty sourcing seats for essential maintenance staff, with some now routing via Seoul or Taipei. Freight forwarders worry about belly-hold shortages just as semiconductor supply chains ramp up for post-New-Year production.
Aviation analysts note that the pullback effectively resets the market to early-pandemic size; February 2020 saw 2,457 one-way flights – still higher than the 1,783 now planned. Recovery prospects hinge on Japan’s security outlook and consumer sentiment: if neither improves by April, airlines may redeploy aircraft to Southeast Asia, where demand is booming. Travel buyers are advised to lock in critical March itineraries quickly and to build contingencies via alternative hubs.
