Direct flights linking Kobe, Japan, with the Chinese cities of Shanghai and Nanjing in Jiangsu province will be launched in April, aiming to meet air travel demand between the Japanese city and the Yangtze River Delta region, Shanghai-based Juneyao Airlines announced on March 12.

The Shanghai-Kobe route will be launched on April 18, followed by the Nanjing-Kobe route a day later, on April 19, according to the carrier's schedule.

Both flights will operate daily, further enhancing connectivity between the Yangtze River Delta and Japan's Kansai region. With regard to the World Expo in Osaka, the improved air network is expected to better facilitate cultural, tourism, economic, and trade exchanges between China and Japan.

A total of 14 air routes connecting China with Japanese destinations, including Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Sapporo, will be operated by Juneyao Airlines in the upcoming summer and autumn seasons, in a move aimed at tapping into the rising market demand for international tourism.

China saw inbound tourist volume surge by 60.8 percent year-on-year in 2024, with a significant increase in Japanese travelers, representing sizable potential demand in the market.

The World Expo in Osaka, scheduled to kick off on April 13, is projected to attract more than 28 million international visitor trips.