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DAILY NEWS


SHAPING TRANSPACIFIC TRADE


W


hile global airfreight demand remains uneven, Japan Airlines (JAL) is targeting long-term growth in key markets, supported by expanded strategic partnerships, its freighter network, and growing demand for express, pharmaceutical, and high-value-added cargo.


Yuichiro Kito, senior vice president of the Cargo & Mail Division at JAL,


pointed to East Asia–North America, East Asia–Europe, and intra-Asia routes as the most promising trade lanes for the airline: “These regions account for


just over 40 percent of the global cargo


market and are expected to experience higher growth rates than other regions over the next 10 years.” JAL’s cargo strategy increasingly centres on flexibility,


leveraging an


optional combination of the belly capacities of JAL’s passenger aircraft, its own freighters, and large-sized freighter capacities of partner airlines. “Since the company’s own freighters are limited, an important issue is


how to ensure stable freighter capacities to Europe and the United States,” Kito noted. Recent codeshare agreements and collaborations with Kalitta Air and Qatar Airways Cargo have been key to this approach.


Service focus Post-pandemic shifts in consumer behaviour have changed the makeup of airfreight demand. JAL has identified express, pharmaceuticals, Japanese perishables, and chemicals as its four “strategic commodities.” Kito explained, “We aim to expand our business by providing optimal


transport services, such as utilising dedicated temperature-controlled warehouses and obtaining IATA CEIV certification, to meet the diverse needs of our customers.” As the e-commerce sector reshapes cargo flows, especially out of China,


JAL is monitoring the impact closely. “It is estimated that e-commerce from China to North America will


account for more than 50 percent of total demand from China to North America in 2024,” Kito said. The effects of regulatory changes, such as the US de minimis exemption, remain under close watch. High-value-added cargo is also a growing focus. JAL has been handling


pharmaceuticals since the 1970s, with recent investments in facilities such as JAL MEDIPORT at Narita and Pharma 5 at Kansai International Airport enhancing its capabilities. The carrier is also preparing for growing demand in advanced therapies. “Cell transport for cell therapy is currently growing,” Kito noted, adding


that services now accommodate needs such as vibration isolation and fast turnaround.


Digital expansion Operational quality is a cornerstone of JAL’s competitive positioning. “JAL ranked first in on-time arrival performance in the Asia–Pacific category for 2024,” Kito said, noting that integrators like DHL already rely on JAL’s punctuality to support their own services. Digitisation is also accelerating. “We are planning to launch our own


reservation portal site, automate reservations by linking it to a pricing engine, and introduce sales support tools,” Kito said. JAL is implementing dynamic pricing and has joined common booking platforms. Participation in IATA’s ONE Record initiative is also on the agenda, with the goal of simplifying status tracking and improving operational efficiency across the supply chain. On the sustainability front, JAL is targeting a full transition to


environmentally friendly cargo securing films by FY2025. “We’re switching to materials that use fewer petroleum-derived raw


inputs,” Kito said. Used plastics are recycled into items like survey boundary stakes, and electrification of ground vehicles is underway. Fleet upgrades to more fuel-efficient aircraft, including the A350-1000 and 787-9, are also part of the group-wide plan to reduce CO2 emissions. “JAL is actively promoting the use of SAF and contributing to Scope 3


reductions for shippers and forwarders through the JAL Corporate SAF Programme,” he added. With only a limited freighter fleet, partnership strategy is the key to


future growth. “We would like to deepen partnerships with other airlines and expand our supply and network on European, US, and Chinese routes,” said Kito.


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