New Runway Lights Meant to Boost Safety at Haneda Airport; Japan Govt Plans to Install, Expand System at 8 Airports Overall

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:32 JST, October 2, 2024

Following the fatal collision between a Japan Airlines jetliner and a Japan Coast Guard plane at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport in January, construction began Wednesday on new runway status lights (RWSL) at the C5 taxiway near the accident site.

RWSL are red lights embedded in a runway and taxiway that illuminate to alert pilots when two aircraft are taking off and landing on the same runway, or when two aircraft might be entering a runway at the same time.

The system is already installed in parts of the New Chitose, Itami, Fukuoka, and Naha airports. Based on discussions at the committee of outside experts for accident countermeasures, the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry decided to install and expand the system at these and four other major airports: Narita, Haneda, Chubu and Kansai.

Wednesday’s work began just before 1 a.m., during the two-day period in which Runway C is closed at night each week. Workers dug out part of taxiway C5 to a depth of about 30 centimeters and installed three bases for the lights about 20 centimeters in diameter, as well as piping.

By 5:30 a.m., the area had been filled and repaved.

Approximately 1,500 lights are scheduled to be installed on runways A, B, C and taxiways at Haneda Airport. Operation of the RWSL is scheduled to begin on the C5 taxiway by March 2028.

The remaining seven airports will aim for full operation by the end of fiscal 2030.