THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: One-third of regular flights to S.Korea canceled

NHK has learned that over one-third of regular flights between Japan and South Korea have been canceled since March amid souring bilateral ties.

About 2,500 regular flights per week were initially scheduled between Japan and South Korea from late March to late October. Japan's transport ministry says that from mid-July about 940 were canceled.

The number of canceled flights totaled 242 at Kansai Airport in Osaka, 138 at Fukuoka Airport, 136 at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido, and 132 at Narita Airport near Tokyo.

All regular flights to South Korea were canceled at six Japanese airports including Oita and Yonago.

South Korean low-cost carrier Jejuair is now offering one-way fares from Japan to South Korea starting at 1,000 yen, or about 9 dollars, to attract Japanese travelers.

The Japan National Tourism Organization estimates that 201,200 South Koreans visited Japan last month. That's down 58 percent from a year before.

A record high of over 7.5 million South Koreans visited Japan last year. But the number has been falling since July, when Japan's government tightened controls on some exports to South Korea.

Source: NHK World