Authorities are considering forcing the sale of land owned by holdout farmers, recalling disputes that sparked violence during the 1960s
3-MIN READ3-MINJulian RyallPublished: 8:00am, 15 Apr 2026The operator of Japan’s Narita International Airport is considering compulsory acquisition of farmers’ land to complete a planned third runway, recalling the forced land purchases that led to violent clashes between riot police and local residents when the airport was built in the 1960s.Narita International Airport Corp (NAA) has been able to secure 88.4 per cent of the land it requires to finish the extension of the existing 2,500-metre second runway at the airport and construct a new 3,500-metre third runway to meet soaring demand for business and leisure travellers.
Originally, NAA had planned to open the new runway in March 2029 and increase the number of landing and take-off slots from 340,000 a year at present to 500,000, but in a meeting with Transport Minister Yasushi Kaneko on April 2, NAA President Naoki Fujii confirmed that the deadline would have to be pushed back.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Fujii said the company would now look into legally forcing the sale of the plots of land it still needs to secure.
The company said it had been successful in winning over some local residents, who had agreed to sell their land, but added that it still needed to “gain the understanding” of other members of the affected communities.
One of those standing firm is Takao Shito, whose family has cultivated a farm in the village of Tenjinmine for the last 100 years but now finds himself standing in the way of the expansion.
