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In Japan there is not yet any airport capable of operating round the clock.
In fact, airports in the country are still a far cry from international standards
in facilities and operations.
At present Japan is linked directly with 80 cities in the world via flight
routes served by 38 airlines, and 31 countries are seeking to set up new flight
routes to Japan. Also, countries, which have maintained flight services with
Japan, are out to expand the service routes of their flag carriers, including
increase in flights. About 90 percent of these international flights to and
from Japan are concentrated on the Tokyo and Osaka international airports, but
these major airports are limited in space and have inadequate facilities, including
runways. Still worse, the time zone for departures from and arrivals at such
airports is restricted in consideration of environmental problems involving
their surrounding areas. These factors combine to stand in the way of the smooth
operation and development of international air services.
Japan's air service network assumes, as it were, the "structural pattern
of twin-lens reflex," with the demand for air travels mostly concentrated on
the Tokyo International Airport and Osaka International Airport, but these airports
are not duly capable of operating to fully meet such demands. As things stand
at present, they will not be able to cope with a future increase in the demand
for air services unless something is done to expand their operating capacities,
even when local airports are expanded and modernized smoothly.
Therefore, in order to solve those problems, there is the need to rush the
development of key airports including construction of the Kansai International
Airport designed to operate around the clock in handling both domestic and international
flight services.
(1) Kansai International Airport Project
In regard to construction of the Kansai International Airport, the Ministry
of Transport has already reached accord with local governments concerned on
the need to build a new international airport at the earliest possible date.
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outline of Kansai International Airport Construction
Plans
(drafted by the Ministry of Transport) |
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| 1 | Location: The sea off Senshu in the southeastern part of Osaka Bay (about five kilometers from the coast) |
| 2 | Final scale: i) Runways: two 4,000-meter long runways, one 3,400-meter long auxiliary runway ii) Area: about 1,200 hectares |
| 3 | Final capacity: About 260,000 takes-off and landings a year |
| 4 | Airport opening: The airport will start operating upon completion of the main runway and related facilities. |
In May 1983 understanding was obtained verbally at a cabinet meeting on
the holding of a ministerial conference on the Kansai International Airport.
The way was thus paved for the government's concrete approach to the task of
building the new airport.
The Ministry of Transport, for its part, has decided to raise funds to proceed
with a survey in preparation for construction of the Kansai International Airport
and also to work out construction plans through discussions and adjustments
at meetings of cabinet ministers concerned. At the same time, the ministry is
pushing talks with other ministries concerned so that the main body responsible
for construction of the new airport may be founded in fiscal 1984.
(2) Project for Expansion of Tokyo International Airport
In February 1983 the Ministry of Transport decided on basic plans for expansion
of the Tokyo International Airport, starting in the course of fiscal 1983. The
plans envisage expansion of the airport area from the present 408 hectares to
about 1,100 hectares to enable the airport to handle about 85,000,000 passengers
a year.
(3) Expansion of New Tokyo International Airport
The New Tokyo International Airport, which started operating in May 1978
as Japan's most representative international airport, has marked this year the
fifth anniversary of its opening. The New Tokyo International Airport, now functioning
with a single 4,000-meter long runway, is not duly qualified yet as Japan's
main air gateway. In order to enable the airport to cope with an ever-increasing
demand for air travels, there is the need to rush the Phase ・expansion work
from now on.
As regards airport development projects, the government formulated a five-year
airport development plan in fiscal 1967 and had since pushed for the implementation
of the plan systematically and dynamically. In fiscal 1970 the Special Account
for Airport Development was set up to be operated apart from the general account,
but the balance situation has been extremely severe in recent years. Meanwhile,
the airport development projects are expected to reach their peak in several
years, hence it's necessary to take steps to search for new financial resources.
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