CHANGSHA, July 2 (Xinhua) -- China's Juneyao Airlines launched a daily direct flight linking the city of Changsha in central China's Hunan Province and Osaka in Japan on Monday, according to the local airport.

The opening of this air route increased the frequency of flight between the two cities to nine times per week, after China Southern Airlines launched the direct air route that runs twice a week, authorities with Changsha Huanghua International Airport said.

The new air route, operated by Airbus A321, will depart from Changsha at 4 p.m. every day and arrive in Osaka at 7:55 p.m. local time. The returning flight will leave Osaka at 4:55 p.m. local time the next day and land in Changsha at 8 p.m.

Changsha Huanghua International Airport so far has launched 46 international air routes. It has direct flight to Thailand, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Japan and Malaysia everyday.