Widebody; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Total 11992; Flight Crew Type 1101
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Workload; Time Pressure; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Diverted
Procedure; Weather; Human Factors; Chart Or Publication
Winds at RJAA were forecast to be 220/35 gusting to 46 knots and they were landing runway 16R. Dispatcher had boarded fuel for us to arrive in the RJAA area with 38;000 lbs. with ZZZZ as our primary alternate. The time to ZZZZ was about an hour with a burn of 13;300 lbs. I decided that when we got down to 30;000 lbs of fuel; it would be an appropriate time to divert to the alternate if needed. After holding at several fixes and extensive vectoring for approximately an hour and fifteen minutes; we shot an approach to runway 16R. At about 500 ft; we got a significant increase in airspeed; followed by a wind shear alert. We performed a wind shear escape maneuver with a missed approach. We immediately decided to go to our alternate due to fuel considerations. We were held at a low altitude and vectored away from our alternate until we were out from the RJAA normal air traffic routes. We had conferred with our dispatcher as to where he wanted us go if needed and ZZZZ had been agreed upon. Each new controller was notified that we were a minimum fuel aircraft and needed expedited handling. We requested direct to the outer marker of the ZZZZ runway. Communication was difficult and ATC was relatively uncooperative. Forty miles from the airport; we were notified that distance to landing was 140 miles. The Japanese air traffic control refused to allow us direct to the airport unless we declared an emergency even though there was minimal air traffic at ZZZZ. At that time we had approximately 15;600 lbs. of fuel. We landed with approximately 12;900 lbs of fuel and parked. Block time was 15 hours and 59 minutes. Our Dispatcher; who is one of our more experienced; had the foresight to have us arrive in Tokyo having 38;000 lbs. of fuel; recognizing that this day we might really need it.
[Report narrative contained no additional information.]
Air carrier flight crew reported they experienced a windshear alert on final to RJAA; executed a go-around; and diverted.