Japan to Consolidate Narita Terminals, Push New Runway Plan as Tokyo Air Demand Rises

According to Lianhe Zaobao citing NHK, Japan’s transport authorities plan to strengthen Narita International Airport’s role alongside Tokyo’s Haneda Airport as inbound tourism boosts air-travel demand, including consolidating Narita’s three passenger terminals into one integrated terminal. Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism said on Friday, July 10, it will move quickly to implement a new runway construction plan at Narita, including extending the existing 2,500-meter B runway by 1,000 meters and building a new 3,500-meter C runway; once completed, annual takeoffs and landings are expected to rise to 500,000, about 1.5 times current capacity. The Chiba prefectural government plans to use Japan’s Land Expropriation Act to advance land acquisition for about 1.05 million square meters needed for the C runway, while authorities also discussed improving rail links to central Tokyo and said a paid express service connecting Narita and Haneda could significantly cut travel time between the two airports.