After a hiatus of approximately seven years, Kansai International Airport is considering relaunching its international routes, including a flight connection to Indonesia.
Citing the Japanese press on Wednesday, 30th of September, Yasuaki Mikami, Representative Director and CEO of Kansai International Airport, stated that the airport has held discussions with several airlines regarding the launch of flights to Indonesia. In addition to Indonesia, the relaunch of flight routes to other countries, such as India, is also being considered.
“We want to seize market opportunities and increase the number of flight routes,” Mikami said.
Routes from Kansai to Indonesia and India have been suspended since 2019, even though Kansai is one of Japan‘s busiest transportation hubs. Mikami also noted significant demand from companies in Osaka Prefecture, which frequently fly to various Asian countries via Kansai International Airport rather than other Japanese airports, such as Haneda Airport in Tokyo.
“Flying from Kansai saves time, and the distance is shorter,” Mikami continued.
The Indonesian government has also been keen to attract more Japanese tourists to the country. The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism recently sought to expand the reach of Indonesia’s tourism promotion in the Japanese market by participating in “Tourism Expo Japan 2026“, which was held from the 24th to the 27th of September at Hall E2, Tokyo Big Sight, Japan.
During the expo, specifically in the transportation sector, Garuda Indonesia aimed to introduce its flight services while highlighting the importance of connectivity between Japan and Indonesia in supporting the movement of tourists between the two countries.
“Through Tourism Expo Japan 2026, the Ministry of Tourism aims to strengthen partnerships with Japan’s tourism industry, showcase Indonesian destinations beyond Bali to a wider audience, and invite Japanese travelers to embrace the ‘Go Beyond Ordinary’ spirit by exploring a diverse range of unique Indonesian tourism experiences,” Ni Made Ayu Marthini, Deputy for Marketing at the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism, previously said in a statement on Friday, 18th of September.