Nittsu Research Institute and Consulting Inc, the consulting affiliate of freight forwarder Nippon Express, forecasts Japan’s air freight market to continue an upward trajectory through fiscal 2017, after a 6.7% drop in fiscal 2015 and a steady rebound in 2016. Following a rough patch in 2015, air cargo volumes rose 4.6% in 2016, and are projected to end fiscal 2017 around 3.7% higher than 2016. Despite a persistently strong yen, exports are expected to outpace import growth, and rise 5.8% in fiscal 2017 to about 1 million tonnes. Import volumes, meanwhile, are estimated to grow by about 1.5%.