Four Carriers Sign MoU to Rebuild Japan–Europe Air Cargo Links

Lufthansa Cargo, SWISS WorldCargo, All Nippon Airways and Nippon Cargo Airlines have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore closer cooperation on the Japan–Europe air cargo market — a deal that could revive a joint venture suspended in September 2023.

The MoU is an exploratory framework, not a commercial launch. It commits the four carriers to assessing greater network connectivity, additional cargo capacity and more flexible routing options between Japan and Europe. No new joint services have been introduced, and none are imminent.

For forwarders and shippers moving freight on one of the world's densest air cargo corridors, the practical significance lies in what the agreement might restore rather than what it delivers today.

What happened to the original joint venture?

Lufthansa Cargo and ANA are not starting from zero. The two carriers built a cargo joint venture covering the Japan–Europe market in 2014 — roughly a decade of coordinated capacity and sales on the lane.

That arrangement was suspended in September 2023 following restructuring within ANA Holdings' cargo business. The new MoU creates a mechanism to examine resuming that cooperation, this time potentially widening the perimeter to include SWISS WorldCargo, the Lufthansa Group's Swiss cargo arm, and Nippon Cargo Airlines, the Nippon Yusen subsidiary that operates an all-freighter fleet.

Whether the enlarged structure materialises remains an open question. The carriers themselves frame the MoU as an evaluation exercise.

What did the executives say?

Ashwin Bhat, CEO of Lufthansa Cargo, said Japan remains an important market for the carrier and highlighted the potential to combine the four companies' networks and expertise to give customers additional flexibility.

Alain Chisari, Head of SWISS WorldCargo, pointed to the importance of reliable air cargo connections for time-critical and specialised shipments — the high-yield segments where schedule certainty commands a premium.

Kenichi Wakiya, Executive Vice President of Cargo Marketing & Services at ANA and CEO of ANA Cargo, said the discussions would build on the existing relationship with Lufthansa Cargo while exploring broader cooperation.

Hiroyuki Homma, President and CEO of Nippon Cargo Airlines, stressed the potential to complement the partners' networks through additional capacity and routing options.

What changes for shippers right now?

Nothing operationally — and the carriers have been explicit about that. They have announced:

• No new flight schedules
• No specific capacity commitments
• No timetable for restarting the Lufthansa Cargo–ANA joint venture

Any future operational changes depend on the outcome of the ongoing discussions, according to the companies. For shippers and forwarders on the lane, that means booking behaviour, rates and routing options remain governed by the four carriers' current independent networks until something firmer emerges.

The caveat deserves emphasis. MoUs in air cargo do not always convert into operating joint ventures — they require antitrust clearance in both jurisdictions, alignment on network plans and commercial terms, and, in this case, resolution of whatever restructuring pressures prompted ANA to walk away from the original arrangement in 2023. None of that groundwork has a public timeline.

Why the corridor matters

The agreement nonetheless represents a renewed effort to strengthen air cargo connectivity between Japan and Europe, bringing together four established operators with complementary international networks. Japan–Europe is a lane where automotive parts, electronics, pharmaceuticals and precision machinery generate sustained demand for both belly capacity and dedicated freighters.

For Lufthansa Cargo and SWISS WorldCargo, a broader partnership would deepen the Lufthansa Group's access to the Japanese market beyond its own metal. For ANA and NCA, it offers European reach through a partner with an extensive freighter and belly network. In theory, customers gain a broader range of transport options and improved connectivity in both directions; in practice, those gains depend entirely on what the four carriers negotiate.

The market will be watching for the first concrete signals — capacity commitments, coordinated schedules or regulatory filings — before treating this MoU as anything more than intent.