The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today said the restrictions the Japanese Government has placed on flights departing from Hong Kong are unreasonable and it has requested the restrictions be withdrawn.

The Japan Civil Aviation Bureau earlier notified the Hong Kong SAR Government that from tomorrow onwards, passenger flights from the city could only land at Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, Kansai Airport and Chubu Airport and that relevant airlines could not increase the number of passenger flights to Japan.

The Hong Kong SAR Government has been proactively liaising with the Japanese authorities and seriously requesting that they rescind the restrictions.

The Japanese Government announced today that in addition to the four previously mentioned airports, passenger flights from Hong Kong will also be permitted to land at New Chitose Airport, Fukuoka Airport and Naha Airport, provided the flights do not carry passengers who have been to Mainland China within seven days prior to the flight.

The Hong Kong SAR Government understands that the relevant arrangement is only applicable to passenger flights to Japan from Hong Kong and Macau, and considers the restrictions on flights departing from Hong Kong are unreasonable and should be withdrawn.

Noting that local airlines have been reminded to notify the affected travellers of the latest flight arrangements as soon as possible, the Hong Kong SAR Government said it will continue its request for the Japanese authorities to rescind all discriminative restrictions on passenger flights departing from the city.