Kazakhstan and Japan have taken a major step toward establishing direct air connections, as senior government officials and businessmen met in Astana to discuss expanding bilateral aviation cooperation.

The talks were led by Saltanat Tompiyeva, Chairwoman of Kazakhstan's Civil Aviation Committee, and brought together a high-level Japanese delegation, including Japan's Ambassador to Kazakhstan Yasumasa Iijima, KEIDANREN Japan-CIS Business Cooperation Committee Chairman Takeshi Hashimoto, and ANA Holdings Vice President Takeshita Yutaka, The Caspian Post reports via Kazinform.

Officials discussed plans to launch direct flights between Kazakhstan and Japan, describing the initiative as a key driver for increasing tourism, trade, investment, and business cooperation between the two countries.

In addition to route planning, the meeting focused on visa procedures and the regulatory and organizational measures needed to make the new air service a reality.