As tariffs change trade patterns and roil global supply chains, corporate Japan is dealing with it the best way it knows how: by getting executives in the air.

Home carriers Japan Airlines and ANA are reaping the biggest benefits, as increased premium demand for long-haul flights is boosting sales.

Outbound business travel has picked up since U.S. President Donald Trump set out to reshape the global order of commerce with a first salvo of tariffs announced back in April. The number of Japanese residents traveling to the U.S. on a business visa rose 28% to 30,035 in July from 23,490 in April, according to the International Trade Administration.

Japanese manufacturers are joining peers elsewhere by boosting U.S. investments and reassessing everything from offshore manufacturing to material sourcing in an attempt to mitigate the worst of tariffs.

Japan’s outbound travel is gaining altitude, with bookings for business and first class seats climbing by the mid-teens from a year earlier, according to Bloomberg Intelligence Eric Zhu.

"We’re seeing a strong trend of business travel demand to North America and Europe,” JAL — as Japan Airlines is commonly known — told Bloomberg News. "To the U.S. in particular, higher tariffs have been prompting manufacturers to shift production, which in turn is fueling business demand.”

Overall outbound demand recovered to about 75% of 2019 levels in May, Zhu said, leaving room for further growth. Total overseas trips by Japanese residents climbed 14% this year, according to data from the Japan National Tourism Organization.

"With the impact of tariffs, I think companies are re-examining their supply chains,” JPMorgan analyst Ryota Himeno said. "Manufacturers in particular may be traveling more to meet directly with customers and negotiate in person. That’s probably the factor at play.”

JAL reported its highest operating profit for a first quarter since its 2012 initial public offering, more than doubling from a year earlier. All Nippon Airways-parent ANA posted record international travel sales, according to a spokesperson. Both carriers said outbound demand was the key driver.

"International routes, especially to North America, were strong,” according to Nomura analyst Masaharu Hirokane. That particularly benefits JAL, which has doubled down on transpacific routes and strengthened yield management.

ANA, by contrast, maintains a broader geographic spread of long-haul flights, with weaker European demand and greater reliance on cargo weighing on profit, said Himeno.

Behind the boom is a broader reshaping of Japan’s industrial footprint. From July 1 to Aug. 31, 54 Topix-listed companies mentioned production moves in presentations to investors, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Some of the country’s tiremakers including Bridgestone and Toyo Tire are expanding their U.S. operations to offset tariff-related costs and tap North American demand. Honda is also moving production of its hybrid Civic to the U.S., while Subaru said that expand capacity in the U.S. is "inevitable.”

To capture the demand, JAL resumed Narita-Chicago flights in May and swapped in jets with a larger business class for its Haneda-Los Angeles route in June. Both JAL and ANA expect to expand international capacity through the second half of the year, said BI’s Zhu.

JAL’s business travel exceeded its expectations, allowing the airline to maintain high fares. Demand for outbound business travel rose 121% year-over-year, the airline said. Corporate travel accounted for more than 15% of JAL’s international travel revenue in the quarter with outbound corporate travel demand carrying the highest yields.

JAL’s quarterly operating profit is expected to increase to ¥72.1 billion ($490 million) in the second quarter, the highest since 2018, according to analyst estimates. Following a projected strong second quarter, ANA’s first-half operating income is set to reach 62% of its full-year target. Both airlines could end up raising their full-year outlooks later this year, according to JPMorgan’s Himeno.

"We anticipate the growth in international travel will continue,” an ANA spokesperson said.