Narita Airport Operator Abandons Plan to Open New Runway in 2029

Tokyo, April 2 (Jiji Press)–Narita International Airport Corp. has abandoned its plan to open a new runway in March 2029 due to challenges in acquiring necessary land, it was learned Thursday. After meeting with transport minister Yasushi Kaneko in Tokyo on the day, Naoki Fujii, president and CEO of the airport operator, told reporters that the company will now consider compulsory expropriation procedures under the land expropriation law. At the airport, located in a Tokyo suburb, the extension of the existing 2,500-meter Runway B and the construction of a 3,500-meter Runway C are underway to enhance airport functions. Once completed, the number of landing and takeoff slots per year will increase from the current 340,000 to 500,000. The company now hopes to put into service the extended part of Runway B by the end of fiscal 2029. Asked about when Runway C will be operational, Fujii said, “We’re not at the stage where we can say that yet.” Under the expropriation law, land for construction can be forcibly acquired if public interest is recognized. The company will continue to coordinate with related parties and consider applying the law to secure the land. In a statement issued Thursday, transport minister Kaneko said that the government “understands that the situation has come to the point where it is necessary to utilize the land expropriation system,” urging the company to work to gain local support. The company had aimed to secure necessary land by last month, and had acquired 89.7 pct of the land. Before the airport opened in 1978, some parts of the site were forcibly expropriated, leading to intense opposition. However, some local residents and business leaders have called for the application of the expropriation law for the ongoing expansion. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]