ANA Partners with Ctrip to Boost Chinese Tourism to Japan

BEIJING, Jan 23 (News On Japan) - All Nippon Airways (ANA) has initiated a business alliance with Ctrip, a major Chinese travel agency, aiming to capture more Chinese tourists.

ANA and Ctrip Group signed a business cooperation agreement in Beijing on Monday to mark the beginning of this collaboration, with the objective to attract new visitors to Japan. Through this partnership, arrangements for ANA tickets will be facilitated with common online payment methods in China, such as Alipay, and ANA's services will be searchable through Ctrip's widely used app.

Both ANA and Ctrip emphasize that the partnership will enhance customer convenience.

According to ANA, while the number of international passengers has recovered to about 80% of the pre-COVID levels, flights between Japan and China are still lagging at about 50%.

by Brian Dentry

Source: ANN

Japan Ranks 66th in Global Press Freedom, Lowest Among G7

Reporters Without Borders has released its 2025 World Press Freedom Index, ranking Japan 66th out of 180 countries and regions surveyed, just behind Timor-Leste (65th) and Fiji (64th).

Trump Raises Tariffs 25% on Imported Auto Parts

The Trump administration has imposed a 25% additional tariff on imported auto parts, including engines and transmissions, with the measure taking effect at 1:01 p.m. Japan time on May 3rd.

Osaka-Kansai Expo Does Flip-Flop to Allow Smoking

Plans are underway to install designated smoking areas inside the Expo site for the first time.

Okinawa Issues Habu Bite Warning

Okinawa Prefecture has issued a warning to watch out for habu snakes, which become more active as temperatures rise in May, particularly during farming and outdoor activities in mountainous areas.

Driver Intentionally Rams Into 7 Children in Osaka

A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after driving into seven elementary school children near an Osaka school as they were walking home.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Business NEWS

Japan-U.S. Tariff Talks: 'Slowly Rushing to an Agreement'

Japan and the United States held a second round of negotiations over tariffs, with discussions lasting 130 minutes. Economic Minister Akazawa described the talks as substantive, yet many officials believe the outcome hinges on the trajectory of U.S.-China relations.

Brokerages to Refund Victims of Widespread Online Fraud

A wave of fraudulent trades conducted through hijacked securities accounts has prompted Japan’s leading brokerages to move toward compensating affected customers, with some firms opting to offer full refunds.

Japan’s Jobless Rate Improves for First Time in Two Years

Japan’s unemployment rate improved in fiscal 2024 for the first time in two years, falling by 0.1 percentage point from the previous year to 2.5 percent, according to government data released on May 2nd.

Trump Assembles Executives Including Masayoshi Son at White House to Highlight U.S. Investment

At the White House, President Donald Trump brought together corporate executives, including SoftBank Group Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son, to highlight major investment commitments made in the United States—presenting them as a direct result of his administration's efforts.

Mother-Daughter Duo Nailed for Selling Fake Louis Vuittons

Two women, a 54-year-old mother and her 26-year-old daughter from Kasukabe City in Saitama Prefecture, have been referred to prosecutors by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police for allegedly selling nail parts resembling the logos of luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton without authorization.