Reservations canceled on Japan-China flights

TOKYO - Reservations for over 52,000 seats on two Japanese carriers' flights between Japan and China in the September-to-November period have been canceled amid strained bilateral ties, a companies' officials said Tuesday.

All Nippon Airways Co, the largest airline in the country, received cancellations for about 37,000 seats from group tourists as of last Friday, while Japan Airlines Co Ltd (JAL) saw around 15,500 seats canceled as of Monday, the officials said.

Meanwhile, Japanese companies have called off business trips between the two countries, a sign that booking cancellations could increase as the tensions remain high over the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea, which are claimed by both countries.

In face of the situation, the two major carriers have decided to cut the number of flights connecting Japan and China or use smaller aircraft next month.

"Along with decreasing the number of flights, we will suggest other destination spots particularly for our group passengers to minimize the impact on our earnings and costs," JAL President Yoshiharu Ueki told reporters on Tuesday, a week after the carrier was re-listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.