Croatia, Japan Sign Air Services Agreement

Croatia and Japan have signed a bilateral air services agreement as part of efforts to establish nonstop scheduled flights between the two countries.

Croatia’s Foreign and European Affairs Minister Gordan Grlić Radman signed the deal with Japanese counterpart Hayashi Yoshimasa during a two-day visit to Japan that marked the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the nations.

“Direct air traffic will significantly contribute to the tourist exchange between the two countries and facilitate mutual economic and other forms of cooperation,” a statement from the Croatian Foreign and European Affairs Ministry says.

“Equally, this will contribute not only to the strengthening of Croatia’s cooperation with Japan, but also with other countries in the Far East, especially member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).”

Negotiations for an air services agreement began in November 2018, and a deal in principle was reached in November 2022. Japan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry adds that demand forecasts suggest “there is sufficient air traffic demand for scheduled air services between Japan and Croatia in the future.”

According to Sabre Market Intelligence data, O&D traffic between the two countries totaled 56,658 two-way passengers during 2019, all of whom traveled indirect. Zagreb-Tokyo was the largest city pair, followed by Dubrovnik-Tokyo and Zagreb-Osaka. Overall, Japan was Croatia’s largest unserved market in Asia.

Croatia has no nonstop connections to Asia at present, OAG Schedules Analyser data shows. Prior to the pandemic, Korean Air offered flights linking Seoul Incheon and Zagreb, but the SkyTeam alliance member is yet to return to Croatia’s capital.

Although there have been no scheduled services between Croatia and Japan, All Nippon Airways has in the past operated summer-season charter flights to Dubrovnik, most recently during summer 2019.