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China Approves ANA Holdings’ Acquisition of Nippon Cargo

By  |  July 2, 2025

Japanese airline group ANA Holdings has secured long-awaited approval from China’s competition authority to proceed with its acquisition of Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA), a deal that has faced repeated regulatory delays since its announcement in 2023.

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    The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) confirmed on Tuesday that the acquisition may move forward, according to a statement, but emphasized that the approval is contingent upon strict conditions designed to maintain fair competition. The conditions are particularly focused on preserving the integrity of the vital air cargo corridor between China and Japan.

    Per a statement issued by the Chinese regulator, ANA, NCA, and the resulting combined entity will be required to uphold current ground handling agreements at Tokyo’s Narita Airport and Osaka’s Kansai Airport. These stipulations are aimed at ensuring continued operational stability and preventing disruptions in cross-border trade and regional supply chains.

    Read more: US Steel and Nippon Steel Merger Approved by Trump with Gov ‘Golden Share’

    Despite ANA’s initial plans to complete the transaction months ago, the process was held up by a series of regulatory deferrals—eight in total, with the most recent delay occurring just last week. The deal involves the acquisition of NCA from Nippon Yusen KK, Japan’s largest maritime shipping company.

    Now that the green light has been given, ANA intends to close the transaction on August 1. According to a statement, the airline views the acquisition as a strategic move to strengthen its position in the air cargo industry at a time when reliable logistics networks are increasingly critical to global commerce.

    Source: Aviacion al Dia