Economic Concern Grows over Kansai Airport Shutdown

September 5, 2018

Osaka- With Kansai International Airport closed since Tuesday due to damage from powerful Typhoon Jebi, concerns are growing over potential adverse ramifications, in particular for tourism, which has been a driving force of the economy in western Japan.

The round-the-clock airport opened on a man-made island in Osaka Prefecture in 1994.

After remaining in the doldrums for many years under heavy construction costs since the opening, the airport has staged growth in recent years thanks to the arrival of budget carriers. In fiscal 2017, the airport hosted a total of 28.8 million tourists, a record high.

Visitors from abroad who use the airport as the base for sightseeing trips to many parts of Japan have contributed to shoring up the economy of the Kansai western Japan region, including Osaka.

Kansai International Airport is linked by air routes with about 100 cities in the world.

In fiscal 2017, the volume of cargo handled at the airport stood at about 852,000 tons, while the number of flight landings and takeoffs totaled some 188,000. Jiji Press