The Japanese and Chinese governments are looking to increase the number of flights linking Shanghai and Japanese cities to alleviate congestion and improve security, Japanese government and other sources said Monday.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the U.N.'s civil aviation agency that proposed the plan, is aiming to expand the number of flights next spring, enabling Japan to cope with growing demand ahead of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics next summer.

The move comes as Chinese airlines started phasing in more flights to Japanese cities in late October to a record level following a bilateral accord in September relaxing rules on Chinese airlines' flights to and from Narita International Airport.