Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has revealed that Fiji is pursuing efforts to secure Fiji Airways landing rights at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

Speaking to The Fiji Times in Nadi on Tuesday following his return from Japan, Rabuka said he had intended to urgently involve Civil Aviation Minister Viliame Gavoka in the negotiations.

“I was going to call him up while I was still there (in Japan) to go and finalise some discussions about the Fiji Airways flying into Haneda Airport,” Rabuka said.

The prospect of adding Haneda to Fiji Airways’ network marks a potentially significant development for tourism and trade.

Fiji Airways currently operates flights to Narita International Airport, located about 60 kilometres from central Tokyo. While Narita remains one of Japan’s major gateways, Haneda offers far greater convenience for travellers due to its close proximity — roughly 15 kilometres — to the heart of Tokyo.

Haneda Airport, officially known as Tokyo International Airport, is Japan’s busiest airport and one of the most connected in the world.

It handles the majority of domestic flights and a rapidly growing share of international services. Airlines across Asia and the Pacific highly prize access to Haneda.