The current rules on the roles of Haneda and Narita airports will not change in the immediate future, Transport Minister Chikage Ogi said Tuesday in an apparent effort to fend off stronger-than-expected protests from Chiba Prefecture.
"I'm not arguing that something should be changed from tomorrow, and I know much about the sacrifice that Chiba Prefecture has paid (for the opening of Narita airport)," Ogi told the day's regular news conference.
However, she stressed that special measures should be taken to handle the large number of overseas visitors expected during the World Cup soccer finals in 2002, indicating that some international flights should use Haneda for the occasion.