Air travel: Russia discusses restarting direct flights from Tokyo and Seoul
Russian airlines are conducting technical consultations with Japanese and South Korean carriers on the restoration of direct flights, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko told "Izvestia". Tokyo and Seoul were the ones that interrupted flights in 2022, but the number of Russian tourists to these countries is increasing. According to experts, Asian capitals will face strong pressure from the West on the way to resuming flights. For example, flights operated by South Korean carriers are insured by European companies that will refuse to cover the risks of flights to Russia.
Dialogue on the restoration of flights with Japan and South Korea
In the first eight months of 2026, 131.9 thousand Russians visited Japan, which is 22.1% more than in the same period of 2025, according to data from the Japanese tourism organization. The situation is similar with South Korea: in the first four months of 2026, over 75 thousand Russian citizens chose it for holidays - almost 10% more than last year, the Association of Russian Tour Operators reported earlier. The parties are currently maintaining contacts to restore direct flights.
— Technical consultations are continuing at the level of our airlines and transport agencies directly. It's not an easy conversation, it's complicated. Because, of course, everything that happened was not our initiative. Unfortunately, our former partners took this step. Nevertheless, we hope that we will be able to restore this message. Moreover, it is economically beneficial for them," Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko told "Izvestia".
Negotiations on the resumption of direct flights with these Asian countries became known last year. Tokyo and Seoul decided to terminate them in 2022 out of solidarity with Western countries. Before that, air traffic was quite active. For example, "Aeroflot" and Korean Air operated flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg to Seoul and Busan. It was also possible to fly to Seoul from Vladivostok and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. It was possible to get to the Japanese capital from Moscow, Vladivostok, Khabarovsk and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. "Izvestia" sent requests to the Federal Air Transport Agency and the mentioned airlines.
Seoul and Tokyo are expressing interest in restoring flights to Russia. For example, the president of the Korean-Russian Business Council, Park Jongho, confirmed in the spring that the parties want to find a mutually beneficial solution. The Japanese airline JAL reported that the resumption of direct flights from Russia will be considered after the necessary conditions are created. In May, Mikhail Shvydkoi, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for International Cultural Cooperation, discussed this issue during a visit to Japan.
Experts emphasize that direct flights between Russia and Japan, as well as South Korea, will be extremely beneficial for tourists and businessmen. The trade turnover of the two countries with Russia increased in the first seven months: with Japan — by 5%, with South Korea — by 7%, the Russian-Asian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs reported. There is also a humanitarian aspect: air travel would help ethnic Koreans who have moved to their historical homeland from the Far East to meet their relatives in Russia more often, Kim Yong-un, a leading researcher at the Center for Korean Studies, told "Izvestia". According to him, it is possible to start restoring direct flights from Sakhalin.
Prospects of Russia's relations with Japan and South Korea
However, political factors are preventing the restoration of ties with Russia. South Korea's position on this issue largely depends on the opinion of the United States, which itself has not yet restored flights with Russia, Kim Yong-un stressed. The expert also noted that the main insurer of airlines from the Republic of Kazakhstan are European corporations that will not cover the risks of flights to the Russian Federation. Do not forget that Seoul imposed sanctions against Russian companies and individuals after the start of its military operation.
Nevertheless, Russia and South Korea still have great potential for cooperation, Russian Ambassador Georgy Zinoviev said earlier. For example, the republic is interested in using the Northern Sea Route. Seoul also continues to purchase Russian LNG and petroleum products. It is important that the Koreans, despite pressure from Kiev and Western "like-minded people," refrain from supplying weapons to Ukraine.
After 2022, Russia and Japan are also on opposite sides of the barricades regarding the Ukrainian conflict, and the sanctions imposed have led to a serious degradation of bilateral political and economic relations, Oleg Kazakov, senior researcher at the Center for Japanese Studies at the ISSA RAS, told "Izvestia".
Recently, relations between the two countries have only worsened. Tokyo continues to increase its assistance to Kiev, Russian Ambassador Nikolai Nozdryov said earlier. After Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the southern Kuril Islands in August, anti-Russian hysteria unfolded in Japan. All this further postpones the prospect of normalizing the dialogue, which the Japanese side publicly declares its interest in, the Russian Foreign Ministry said after a meeting between Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko and Japanese Ambassador to Moscow Akira Muto on September 16.
The Russian side also pointed out the danger of Japan's remilitarization, Tokyo's increased military training activity together with the United States and Western allies near our country's Far Eastern borders, as well as the deployment of medium-range missile systems on Japanese territory. If such activities continue, the Russian Federation will take the necessary compensatory measures to ensure an adequate level of its defense capability.
Oleg Kazakov draws attention to the fact that the level of security trust between Russia and Japan has sharply decreased, which creates unjustified tension in bilateral relations due to suspicions of the countries' participation in the regional arms race. Previously, such issues were resolved at the highest level or in the "2+2" format, but today there is no constructive dialogue on security between the countries.
Monument in honor of the victory over militaristic Japan and the end of World War II on the Amur Embankment
Tokyo is also trying to exploit a complex historical past. In early September, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi demanded that the memorial in honor of the victory over militaristic Japan, installed in Khabarovsk, be dismantled. Moscow stressed that they could not take such requirements into account. At the same time, more than half of Japanese residents believe that the government needs to take a more flexible position towards Russia and call for dialogue rather than toughen sanctions, according to a survey conducted by the conservative newspaper Sankei and Fuji TV.
The restoration of flights with Russia is objectively beneficial for Japan and South Korea. However, it all comes down to the political aspect and solidarity with Europe and the United States. At the same time, Seoul is not yet going to such an aggravation of relations as Japan. Therefore, the chances of restarting direct flights with South Korea are slightly higher, although relations between Russia and the United States will play a decisive role.
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