Low-cost airline competition in Japan continues to heat up.
Spring Airlines, China’s only budget carrier, is set to establish a subsidiary in Japan as part of its efforts to explore international markets.
Zhang Wuan, a spokesman for Spring Airlines, said the subsidiary is likely to become a first for a Chinese carrier in Japan. The nation’s three biggest state-owned carriers – China Southern, China Eastern and Air China – only operate sales departments there.
“The Japanese aviation market is extremely important and large, especially for carriers based in the Yangtze River Delta region,” said Zhang.
Spring Airlines is not the only carrier looking to explore the low-cost Japanese air market. Japan Airlines has established a joint venture – Jetstar Japan – with Australia’s Qantas Airways and the trading house Mitsubishi Corp to tap into the nation’s budget travel market.
And All Nippon Airways has applied to establish its joint venture with AirAsia to form an LCC based at Japan’s Narita Airport. 


The joint venture company, AirAsia Japan, will apply for an Air Operator’s Certificate with the aim of beginning low-cost operations from August next year. 

