According to the air transport demand forecast made by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, demands at metropolitan airports is expected to reach near the limit of currently planned capacity in early 2020's.

On this account, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism established "Metropolitan Airports Capacity Enhancement Technology Subcommittee" (hereinafter "Technology Subcommittee") consisting of academics and experts under Basic Policy Subcommittee of Aerospace Caucus, Council of Transport Policy, which compiled possible technical options for further capacity enhancement of the metropolitan airports, and announced them in July 2014.

Among the proposed options, construction of the 3rd runway, extension of Runway B, and change of restrictions on night flights have been discussed for realization at the four-party council since September 2015.

At the four-part council meeting that was held in September 2016, we put forward concrete proposals on further capacity enhancement of Narita Airport and pointed out the basic ideas of environmental countermeasures and measures for co-existence toward such capacity enhancement. Until then, we have held meetings for local residents and other explanatory meetings in a two-way communication style to explain to more than 5,000 people about them.

At the four-part council meeting that was held in June 2017, we presented a proposal on our revised plan regarding further capacity enhancement of Narita Airport, reflecting the opinions and requests from the local residents and demands and requests from the Chiba prefectural governor and the liaison council of local governments in areas around Narita Airport. We have held explanatory meetings for local residents to explain about them to more than 4,000 people.

At the four-part council meeting that was held in March 2018, we reached a final conclusion as to our proposal on further capacity enhancement, including a re-revised plan for the change of restrictions on night flights, etc., which was made in consideration of requests and demands that were repeated in January by Chiba prefectural governor and the liaison council of local governments in areas around Narita Airport.

At the four-part council meeting held in February 2019, it was confirmed that the change of restrictions on night flights at Runway A would start from the 2019 winter flight schedule (October 2019).

Open a PDF file

*1 "Change of restrictions on night flights", "No more dividing the small community (village)", "Countermeasures against falling objects from airplanes" and "Well-balanced development of areas around the airport" *2 "Improvement of a plan for the change of restrictions on night flights", "Expansion of countermeasures against noise with change of restrictions on night flights in consideration", "Action to be taken for setting up the noise control zone regulated by the Noise Prevention Act and Special Noise Countermeasures Act", "Cooperation for securing the land for relocation", "Promotion of concrete measures for regional development", and "Raising the amount of grant for countermeasures in the surrounding area"

Further capacity enhancement will go through the following steps in the future:

The change of restrictions on night flights at Runway A will start from October 2019. Procedures for extension of Runway B and for addition of Runway C, etc., will be promoted promptly.