Japan to privatise Narita airport in 2004

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The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport last week announced it has decided to privatise Tokyo Narita International airport, probably in the fiscal year 2004

The privatisation of Tokyo Narita airport will be followed by that of two other major Japanese international airports: Osaka Kansai International and the new Central Japan International airport, which is scheduled to open in 2005 near Nagoya.

For Kansai airport, the Ministry will draw up a turnaround plan that calls for the airport to take on some domestic flights from the city's Osaka Itami airport and to reduce its debts by using profits from the Narita airport privatisation.

The plan confirms the hope of Narita airport authority NAA to take a more hands-on role in retail operations. Under the proposal, Japan's three major airport management and operation companies could freely launch retail and other related businesses as fully private companies (TRW 02/08/01).

Speaking to Duty-Free News International earlier this year New Tokyo International Airport Authority (NAA) director business division II Osamu Suzuki said: "When the plan is approved NAA will have the freedom to take a more hands-on approach to retail like its counterparts at Osaka Kansai and Nagoya Komaki."