Osaka: Kansai Airport Terminal Renovates International Departure Area

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:35 JST, December 23, 2023

IZUMI-SANO, Osaka — The renovated departure area for international flights at Kansai Airport’s Terminal 1 Building has opened, a major step in the terminal’s revamp.

The terminal now has one central immigration inspection area, rather than two at the building’s north and south ends, while the commercial area has a wide range of duty-free and other shops. The sales floor area covers about 2,500 square meters, making it the largest among Japan’s international airports, and has a design that enables visitors to look at all the stores while heading to their boarding gate.

The ceiling decorations resemble traditional Japanese architecture, nishikigoi carp and flowers are among the images projected on to large pillars, and a space with sofas has been added. Travelers will be able to leisurely stroll around nearby brand-name stores and restaurants while waiting for their flights to depart.

According to the operating company, Kansai Airports, about 70% of renovations to the terminal have been completed. Other changes in progress include the security inspection area being expanded. The renovated terminal is scheduled to fully open in spring 2025, when the Osaka-Kansai Expo will start. The operator aims to have the airport accept about 40 million international flight passengers annually, about double the number that it handled before the COVID-19 pandemic.