Synopsis: Air Cambodia to launch flight service to Osaka and Tokyo with one stop in China.
The State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) and Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism signed a memorandum of understanding on the flight service operation between Cambodia and Japan.
The MoU was signed by Mao Havannall, Minister in Charge of the SSCA and a senior official of the Japan’s Ministry, in Phnom Penh.
The MoU aims to operate flight service between Cambodia and Japan, SSCA State Secretary and Spokesman Sinn Chanserey Vutha said on Monday.
The flight service will be operated by Air Cambodia, the national flag carrier, he said.
Speaking with Khmer Times, Vutha said, “In the minute discussion, we asked the Japanese side that the national flag carrier Air Cambodia wants to launch flight service from Cambodia to cities of Osaka and Tokyo in Japan with one stop in China.”
More procedures need to be agreed upon before reaching the launching flight service, he said.
The direct flight service between Cambodia and Japan was once operated by Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA), but it paused the service during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Cambodia has been seeking support from the Japanese government and private sector to encourage the Japanese airline ANA to re-launch direct flights between Cambodia and Japan.
But due to market conditions, re-launching flight service by ANA has still not yet been made.
“Once operational, it would be the resumption of flight service between Cambodia and Japan by Cambodia’s national flag carrier,” Vutha said.
The development comes as Cambodia continues to expand and modernise its aviation infrastructure, including the ongoing construction of the new Techo International Airport, which is set to become a major regional hub.
These infrastructural advancements, coupled with robust international agreements, are crucial for Cambodia’s long-term aviation growth strategy.
Cambodia has reported a total of 3.04 million air passengers in the first five months of 2025, a year-on-year rise of 18 percent, the SSCA report showed.
International and domestic airlines had operated a total of 27,670 flights to the Kingdom’s three international airports during the January-May period this year, up 14 percent compared to the same period last year.
With new airport facilities and a booming tourism sector, Cambodia is projected to receive 7.5 million air passengers in 2025, with an expected increase of 20 percent over 2024.
Figures from the Ministry of Tourism showed that the Kingdom received 112,718 Japanese tourists last year, up 30 percent from 84,411 in 2023.
