The national flag carrier, Vietnam Airlines, today launched its new direct flight route from Hanoi to Osaka in Japanon Jan. 12.

The airline plans to operate five flights a week using Airbus A321 planes on the new route.

The carrier decided to bring the route into operation to meet the demand of customers as Japan Airlines stopped its Osaka-Hanoi route on Jan. 12.

According to Vietnam Airlines (VNA), it is an important step to expand its market in Japan .

Director of the airline’s representative office in Japan , Nguyen Quoc Tuan, said Vietnam Airlines was determined to open the route with a desire to enhance commercial, investment and tourism activities between the two countries.

He said with an extensive flight network, Hanoi hoped to become a hub for visitors heading to Cambodia and Laos .

With this launch, the total number of flights per week operated by the airline to Japan will increase to 31.

The flights will operate out of Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat airports to the Japanese cities of Tokyo , Osaka , Nagoya and Fukuoka .

Statistics released from the carrier showed that it accounted for half of the total direct flights between Vietnam and Japan in the first nine months of last year./.