See what MSFS 2024 World Update 20 adds to Japan, then install, stream or download it and fix missing-content problems.
MSFS 2024 World Update 20, officially World Update XX: Japan, is a free regional scenery upgrade with refreshed Japanese terrain and imagery, enhanced cities, handcrafted airports and landmarks, plus Japan-themed activities. Install it from the in-simulator Marketplace, then use My Library to stream the content or download it locally.
What does World Update 20 add to MSFS 2024?
World Update 20 improves Japan’s scenery rather than the simulator’s core code, aircraft systems, ATC or performance. Its main content falls into four groups:
| Content | What it adds |
|---|---|
| World data | Refreshed elevation, aerial imagery and ground detail for Japan. |
| Cities and landmarks | Enhanced urban coverage and handcrafted points of interest in supported areas. |
| Airports | Bespoke airport scenery and regional airport improvements included with the package. |
| Activities | Japan-themed discovery flights, landing challenges and bush-trip content. |
Not every building or airport in Japan becomes handcrafted. Areas outside the bespoke locations still depend on Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024’s underlying world data and online scenery services.
The Marketplace description provides the package’s complete airport, landmark and activity manifest. This is the safest place to check the detailed roster because Microsoft can revise individual assets without renaming the whole update. If search results show more than one Japanese scenery package, select the official card marked World Update XX or World Update 20, not an older Japan package.
An aircraft promoted around the same release is not automatically included. World Update 20 is principally a scenery and activity package; separately listed aircraft retain their own entitlement and installation status.
How do I install MSFS 2024 World Update 20?
Acquire the free package through the simulator, then confirm how its assets will be delivered in My Library. The general route is the same on PC and consoles, although individual button labels can vary between simulator builds.
- Update MSFS 2024 first. Install any mandatory platform and simulator updates, then restart the simulator. Our guide to finishing the base MSFS 2024 update covers the prerequisite process.
- Open Marketplace. Search for
World Update 20,World Update XXorJapan. - Open the official package. Confirm that it is the Microsoft World Update XX: Japan package, then use the free acquisition option.
- Open My Library. Find the newly owned World Update package and choose to stream it or download its installable assets locally. Enable the package if the interface presents a separate enablement control.
- Allow content management to finish. Do not close the simulator or interrupt a local download while files are being processed.
- Check its status. My Library should show the package as installed, enabled or available for streaming. Load a flight at an airport or landmark named on the package card to confirm that the enhanced scenery appears.
World Update 20 is managed as official content. Do not unpack it into the Community folder or move its files manually. Our complete World Update installation and verification guide explains the wider Marketplace and My Library workflow.
Should I stream or download World Update 20?
Streaming is the sensible choice when storage is limited and the connection is consistently fast; downloading is preferable when Japan is a regular flying area or bandwidth is constrained.
| Option | Choose it when | Main drawback |
|---|---|---|
| Stream | You have reliable broadband and want to conserve local storage. | Scenery quality and loading can suffer when the connection or online services are poor. |
| Download locally | You fly in Japan frequently, have sufficient free space or want to reduce repeated content transfers. | The package occupies storage and may require further downloads when updated. |
A local package does not necessarily make the whole region fully offline. Global imagery, live services and other world data may still be streamed. See our explanation of what MSFS 2024 content can be downloaded instead of streamed before allocating storage.
Why is World Update 20 missing or not showing?
A missing World Update is usually caused by an outdated simulator, an active Marketplace filter, an incomplete entitlement or content that was acquired but never enabled.
- No Marketplace result: remove filters, verify that online services are available, restart the simulator and search for both
World Update XXandJapan. - Package says owned but scenery is absent: open My Library and check whether it is enabled, installed or configured to stream. Acquiring a package does not always mean all optional assets were downloaded.
- Download will not complete: check free storage, restart the simulator and platform, then retry from My Library. Avoid deleting official package files manually.
- Generic or blurred scenery appears: enable online world data and scenery streaming. A local World Update can still rely on streamed imagery.
- Airports have duplicate buildings or objects: disable third-party scenery covering the same Japanese airport or city, then test again. Overlapping add-ons are a common cause of duplicated terminals and misplaced objects.
- Old textures persist: restart the flight and simulator. If the problem remains, rebuild the rolling cache before reinstalling the entire World Update.