OSAKA — A formal ceremony was held Saturday morning to commemorate the opening of Kansai International Airport's controversial second runway, which will start operations Thursday.
The ceremony, attended by transport minister Tetsuzo Fuyushiba, Osaka Gov. Fusae Ota and about 400 Kansai region political and corporate leaders, marks the inauguration of what all dubbed Japan's first "completed" 24-hour international airport.
The new 4,000-meter runway makes Kansai airport Japan's only major international airport with two runways over 3,000 meters long. The opening of the second runway brought visible relief to the faces of the dignitaries present Saturday morning.