# Japan Airlines Cargo (IATA JL · ICAO JAL · AWB 131)

> Japan Airlines Cargo is the freight division of Japan Airlines Co., Ltd., using IATA designator JL and AWB prefix 131. The cargo is carried by the passenger airline itself. Alongside belly capacity on its global network, JAL has flown its own Boeing 767 freighters out of Tokyo Narita again since 19 February 2024. A single air waybill under prefix 131 covers both belly and freighter capacity, and pharmaceutical shipments benefit from CEIV Pharma certified handling at Narita and Kansai.

## Quick facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Legal | Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. |
| IATA | `JL` |
| ICAO | `JAL` |
| AWB prefix | `131` |
| Country | JP |
| Group | Japan Airlines Group (JAL Group) |
| Tracking | https://www.jal.co.jp/jp/en/jalcargo/inter/service/jtms/ |

## Overview

Japan Airlines Cargo is the freight division of Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (JAL) and not a separate air carrier: the air operator certificate and the air waybill both sit with the passenger airline itself. The company was founded on 1 August 1951, is based in the Nomura Real Estate Building in Higashi-Shinagawa, Tokyo, and is led by President Mitsuko Tottori.

The operating model has two legs. Most of the capacity comes from belly space on the worldwide passenger network. On top of that JAL runs its own freighters again: on 19 February 2024 it resumed dedicated freighter flights after a break of more than thirteen years. As of 31 March 2026, three Boeing 767-300ER had been converted into 767-300BCF freighters. The aircraft takes 24 pallets and 32 tonnes on the main deck plus 16 tonnes on the lower deck; cargo compartments can be held between 4 and 24 degrees Celsius, and up to 1,080 kilogrammes of dry ice are permitted per flight. The three Airbus A321ceo P2F used in the Yamato traffic are owned by Yamato Holdings and flown by group carrier Spring Japan, not by JAL itself.

Tokyo Narita is the freighter hub. The 2026 summer schedule serves Tianjin, Taipei Taoyuan, Hong Kong, Shanghai Pudong via Nagoya Chubu, Hanoi, Bangkok and Chicago among others. On Narita-Chicago, charter flights by Kalitta Air and Western Global Airlines supplement JAL's own capacity, and on 25 March 2026 JAL deepened its partnership with Cargolux.

For forwarders the relevant identifiers are IATA designator JL, ICAO code JAL and AWB prefix 131. Pharmaceuticals are a declared focus: Narita has held IATA CEIV Pharma certification since 28 March 2023 and the Kansai warehouse since 2019. Shipment tracking runs through the JTMS tracing mail service.

## Hubs

- KIX
- NRT
- HND

## Fleet

- Boeing 767-300BCF × 3

## Sources

- [JALCARGO](https://www.jal.co.jp/jp/en/jalcargo/)

- [IATA Current Airline Members – Japan Airlines](https://www.iata.org/en/about/members/airline-list/japan-airlines/93/)

- [FAA Order JO 7340.2 Contractions, Kapitel 3 Abschnitt 3-3-J](https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/CNT/3-3-J.htm)

- [Japan Airlines – Number of Aircraft (Stand 31.03.2026)](https://www.jal.com/en/corporate/air/aircraft.html)

- [JAL Group – Additional Updates to FY2026 Summer Schedule for International Cargo Network (08.09.2026)](https://press.jal.co.jp/en/release/202609/009708.html)

- [Japan Airlines – Company Profile](https://www.jal.com/en/company/outline/)

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*Freight Academy — Airline Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airlines/japan-airlines-cargo](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airlines/japan-airlines-cargo)*

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