Kansai Airports President Mikami Yasuaki (三上康章) identified the renovation and functional enhancement of the international cargo area at Kansai International Airport as a key strategy. Against a backdrop of growing demand for e-commerce and pharmaceutical cargo, the company aims to capture demand that is currently flowing to airports in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Kansai Airports President Mikami Yasuaki (三上康章) said the company plans to renovate and enhance the functions of the international cargo area at Kansai International Airport. He explained that the aim is to capture demand flowing to airports in the Tokyo metropolitan area amid growing demand for e-commerce and pharmaceutical cargo.
A plan to invest approximately ¥70 billion in a major renovation of Terminal 1 has been completed, and he identified strengthening the international cargo area as the next growth strategy. The company plans to increase cargo handling capacity and convenience through more efficient layout changes, digital transformation and enhanced inspection functions.
For passenger routes, the company plans to expand services to Asia and North America to offset reductions in flights to China. He said routes to Asian countries other than China remained strong and that the company was currently in discussions with airlines on restoring flights to India and Indonesia.
Against the backdrop of declining passenger numbers on China routes due to worsening Japan-China relations, he stressed the importance of operating a balanced network across countries. Regarding the division of roles among the 3 airports, he said the current basic policy would be maintained, with Itami serving as the domestic flight hub and Kobe complementing Kansai International Airport and Itami.