The number of flights operating between India and Japan has now been doubled to 42. But this alteration will become effective from March 2010 onwards. As per the fresh agreements, the Japanese flights will be allowed to increase their presently seven services each on Tokyo-Delhi and Tokyo-Mumbai sectors to 14 in the year 2010. Even the Indian flights will be permitted to run a total of 28 services every week from different points in India to Tokyo. At the moment, it is only Air India that operates flight service on the Indian-Japan route. The public sector airline operates four flights each to Tokyo and Osaka.

Japanese carriers Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, on the other hand, provide services to India. A civil aviation ministry statement issued recently announced that the government of Japan has conceded allotting 20 extra slots from 2010 to Indian carriers at Tokyo’s congested Narita international airport. The statement thereafter added that endeavor will also be made to assign 28 extra slots gradually at the Narita or Haneda airport to Indian passenger flights to run an added 14 services to Tokyo. The recent agreement between India and Japan is intended to boost air traffic between the two countries.