TOKYO, April 3, 2010 (AFP) - Struggling Japan Airlines expects to cut about 50 routes including international and domestic flights this financial year in its bid to return to profitability, reports said Saturday.

The airline, being restructured with the help of a state-backed turnaround fund after filing for bankruptcy in January, plans to cut 29 international and 31 domestic routes by the end of March next year, the Yomiuri Shimbun daily reported.

The Asahi Shimbun said in its evening edition JAL would cut about 50 routes in total.

The airline currently operates more than 90 international flights, including code shares with other carriers, of which around a third are to Asian destinations.

The routes to be cut include flights to Sao Paulo, Milan, Bangkok and Beijing, the reports said.

The carrier posted a two billion dollar loss for the nine months to December and is planning more than 15,000 job cuts