Malaysia-Japan treaty provides fifth freedom rights from Japanese airports excluding Tokyo. Does HK-Japan treaty have a similar provision? If so it probably makes sense for KA to fly HKG-KIX-HNL. There is a market for HNL ex-Japan and KIX doesn't feel like a premium market (at least from my impression when I was there a couple of weeks ago) so HKG-KIX is a route that CX can transfer to KA.