Originally Posted by
CPH-Flyer
It has been a while since I actually read the guidelines, and I could not Google my way to them just now. However the country interpretation would be contradicted by Lufthansa keeping Frankfurt from Narita (supporting NH and their own move of the Frankfurt flights) and NH keeping Munich in Narita to allow the codeshare for LH to move their flight to Haneda. If you have a link to the MLIT text I would like to re-read it.
It's an unwritten rule, which further adds to the lack of clarity and seemingly inconsistent enforcement of the rule.
Regarding LH, they actually changed NRT-FRA to NRT-KIX-FRA when they began HND-FRA. Then they switched it over to a direct again. LH had flown the A380 to NRT, but since the A380 isn't allowed at HND, I'm pretty sure that's why LH still bothers to fly NRT-FRA (and they don't do it everyday anymore).
NH actually moved its MUC flight to HND, and starts DUS-NRT, so there's no violation of the rule.
In the case of LHR, apparently JL and NH haven't been able to procure the extra slot they need to keep operating NRT-LHR and neither want to start NRT-LGW.
Lastly, the Narita Rule apparently only applies to daytime flights, and is country-based, not route-based. Thus, there were no issues with JL on SFO-HND.