BANGKOK (Reuters) - Japan's civil aviation agency has lifted a charter flight ban for Thai-registered airliners during April and May to help ease the impact on passengers, Thailand's Transport Minister, Air Chief Marshall Prajin Juntong, said on Wednesday.

The Japanese and Thai authorities will on Thursday sign a memorandum of understanding on the suspension, on the condition that there will be stricter inspections of planes and flight schedules, Mr Prajin told reporters.

Nearly 120,000 passengers wanting to travel to Japan were expected to be affected by the flight bans during April and May, a busy time for Thai travellers, a Thai official said on Tuesday.

Airlines affected included national carrier Thai Airways International and long-haul, low-cost carriers like ThaiAsiaX and NokScoot.