Saturday 20 June 2026 was a great day for planespotters living in or near Belgium as the two Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) Boeing 777-300ER VIP transport aircraft landed at Brussels Airport for the state visit of Japan’s Imperial couple. It was not the first time that these two VIP configured long-haul aircraft landed in Belgium after they replaced the two JASDF Boeing 747-400 VIP transport aircraft in early 2019.
On Saturday 20 June 2026 the Their Imperial Majesties the Emperor Naruhito of Japan and his wife Empress Masako ended their official state visit to the Netherlands, a visit which began exactly one week earlier on Saturday 13 June 2026. After boarding JASDF Boeing 777-300ER 80-1112 they made the short flight from Amsterdam to Brussels in anticipation of their two-day state visit to Belgium on Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 June 2026 after a relaxing weekend at the Royal Castle of Ciergnon in southern Belgium.
Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) Boeing 777-3SB/ER 80-1112, carrying Japan’s Imperial couple, was the first aircraft to make the short flight between the two capital cities of Amsterdam and Brussels. Just before 11:00 LT (CEST / UTC + 2) it took off from RWY 18L (the ‘Aalsmeerbaan’) at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS / EHAM) with callsign ‘Japan Air Force 01’ (JF01) with a slight breeze from the southwest (240 degrees at 8 knots). Less than thirty minutes later, at around 11:20 LT (CEST / UTC + 2) the Boeing 777-300ER landed on RWY 25R at Brussels Airport (BRU / EBBR). During its approach into Brussels the Boeing 777-300ER was escorted by two Belgian Air Force Lockheed F-16 fighter aircraft from Kleine-Brogel Air Base, including Lockheed F-16AM FA-103 with callsign TIGER32.
The second aircraft, Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) Boeing 777-3SB/ER 80-1111, for these two flights mainly used as a support and backup aircraft, followed its sister aircraft about one hour later. Just before luchtime the Boeing 777 lined up on RWY 18L at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and few moments later it took off as ‘Japan Air Force 02’ (JF02) with a similar slight breeze from the southwest (250 degrees at 12 knots). After a short flight it landed at around 12:20 LT (CEST / UTC + 2) on RWY 25R at Brussels Airport.
This time I only managed to get photos of the second aircraft during its final approach for RWY 25R at Brussels Airport. Even though I did not get photos of ‘Japan Air Force 01’, its still quite an impressive sight to see either one of these Boeing 777-300ER VIP transport aircraft. But honestly, I would still have preferred to see their predecessor VIP aircraft, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force Boeing 747-400.
20 June 2026
