Thanks for the information regarding baggage, yes I was aware of needing to collect and carry the bags. I did ring Qantas but they couldn’t do a “buy in” as she called it where she added the ticket to my exisiting booking ( even though I can see award seats on my end if I book seperate)
I guess my main concern is the 4.5hr transit time going to be enough on a Saturday, and will JAL give us boarding passes for the domestic leg or will we need to check back in?
I have looked at other options too such as flying from Narita airport to another city ( Fukuoka or Osaka) and then catching the train. This will involve a budget carrier like Jetstar from what I can see