| REVITALIZING JAPAN - Creative Use of Land/Time-saving Measures key to Airport' Competitiveness The following is the ninth and final installment in the "Creative use of land" section of a series of articles examining ways to restore Japan's vitality. Just before dawn at Naha Airport in Okinawa Prefecture, vehicles carrying freight scoot around the international cargo terminal, threading their way between cargo planes recently arrived from other parts of Asia. The ministry is now considering the possibility of another plan to build a new 11-kilometer train line between Oshiage and Sengakuji stations on the Toei Asakusa subway line. The new line would link up with other private train lines to provide a better connection between Haneda and Narita airports. The greater Tokyo area, which is the engine of the Japanese economy, is planning to enhance the competitiveness of Narita Airport. Kensaku Morita and then Kanagawa Gov. Shigefumi Matsuzawa came up with a plan to build a linear train line between Haneda and Narita airports in 2009. But the plan did not gain much support after demand for such a train service was questioned. A "New Tokyo Station" is also planned next to JR Tokyo Station. Though the plan has never been officially approved, it could shorten the train journey between central Tokyo and Narita Airport from about 50 minutes to 37 minutes. " Most major, fast-growing Asian cities are within a four-hour flight from Naha. This figure is about 70 times higher than before ANA began its cargo business, and is the third-largest in Japan after those of Narita and Kansai. 8-hectare plot of land near Naha Airport, the Okinawa prefectural government is hurriedly building warehouses and base facilities for assembling and repairing parts. A prefectural government official explained, "We don't want the airport to become a mere transition point for cargo to pass through. On a 7. Hiroshi Mori, senior researcher at Mitsubishi Research Institute, called for support of the plan from a logistical perspective. This figure is lower than Singapore's Changi Airport with 134 routes and South Korea's Incheon Airport with 127 routes, as of November 2011. Jonas Kor, a spokesperson of the company operating Changi Airport, said, "We have been working with about 200 organizations to shorten immigration procedures, customs clearance and handling checked baggage. " Business travelers appreciate the system, saying it is easier for them to attend conferences and meeting customers. Many people feel Japan simply has too many airports. " The prefectural government expects the development will generate more than 15 billion yen in economic benefits and create 1,500 jobs within a few years. According to the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry, Narita Airport has only 95 destinations on its international routes. In October 2009, All Nippon Airways began its high-speed cargo transportation business, based in the airport that ANA refers to as the "Okinawa cargo hub. Naha Airport's cargo-handling volume was estimated to be about 150,000 tons in fiscal 2011. " Changi Airport, which regards itself as an Asian hub, is a model of logistic efficiency. The key phrase associated with this airport's success is "time-saving. As departure procedures become more efficient, passengers have more time to spend at Changi's 320 shops and 120 restaurants inside its three terminal buildings. This increases the airport's revenue, leading to a reduction in landing fees and strengthening the airport's international competitiveness. REVITALIZING JAPAN - Creative Use of Land/Time-saving Measures key to Airport' Competitiveness |
Thursday, 8 March 2012
REVITALIZING JAPAN - Creative Use of Land/Time-saving Measures key to Airport' Competitiveness
