Minister of Road and Transportation B.Delgersaikhan received a delegation led by Chairman of the Hiroshima Prefectural Assembly of Japan Takashi Nakamoto on July 30. The two sides discussed the air transport liberalization policy and the “Visit Mongolia Year” initiative aimed at boosting tourism. They also touched on the expansion of Chinggis Khaan International Airport, a project set to move forward with a concessional loan from the Japanese Government’s official development assistance.
A feasibility study has already been launched for a proposed high-speed train line connecting Chinggis Khaan International Airport with Ulaanbaatar. Minister B.Delgersaikhan said cooperation with the Japanese Government and private sector organizations on the project is currently under study. On the tourism front, the first direct international flight from Matsumoto, in Japan’s Nagano Prefecture, to Gurvansaikhan Airport in Umnugovi Province landed on July 18. More than 80 Japanese tourists arrived on that flight and traveled through the Gobi before returning home.
A follow-up flight bringing tourists from Nagoya is now in the works, with an official letter of cooperation already submitted. B.Delgersaikhan also said he hopes to work with authorities in Hiroshima Prefecture to establish direct flights between Mongolia and Japan.
Speaking at the meeting, B.Delgersaikhan said the Special Strategic Partnership between Mongolia and Japan has grown stronger year after year, with cooperation in the road and transport sectors continuing to gain ground. He noted that major projects in public transport, roads, bridges, railways and airports are being carried out with grants and concessional loans from the Government and people of Japan. Under the framework of the Special Strategic Partnership, the two sides agreed to take cooperation in the road and transport sectors to a new level and to jointly pursue projects and programs that benefit both countries.
The Chinggis Khaan Airport was built to handle 1.6 million passengers a year, but it handled 2.4 million passengers in 2025, far outstripping its design capacity. The тinister has pointed to the growing number of international and domestic flights as the source of mounting congestion, including long queues at baggage claim and delays on domestic routes. Traffic has been climbing steadily for years: the airport handled roughly 2.18 million passengers in 2024, of which international travelers accounted for the bulk, with Seoul, Beijing and Istanbul as the top three source markets. Based on the Nippon Koei study, the proposed scope includes a terminal extension, a second runway dedicated to domestic operations, and upgrades to cargo facilities. The first phase, penciled in for 2026 to 2028, is expected to prioritize enlarging the apron to make room for more aircraft parking. Funding is expected to come either through an extension of the existing Japanese concessional loan partnership or potentially loans from the Asian Development Bank.
