News On Japan

Fukuoka Airport Passenger Numbers Hit Record High

FUKUOKA - Passenger traffic at Fukuoka Airport reached an all-time high in the first half of the current fiscal year, marking a strong rebound in both domestic and international travel and putting the airport on track to post its first profit since being privatized in 2019.

According to Fukuoka International Airport Co., which operates the facility, the total number of passengers between April and September increased to 9.4 million on domestic routes, up 6% from the same period last year, while international passengers rose 10% to 4.53 million — both figures setting new records. The growth is attributed to the start of operations of the airport’s second runway in March, a continued surge in inbound tourism, and a rise in foreign travelers using domestic connections.

Revenue from airport duty-free stores also remained strong, climbing 2.3 billion yen from the previous half-year period to 3 billion yen, surpassing previous highs. Boosted by this trend, the airport’s net profit for the full fiscal year is projected to reach 4.2 billion yen, representing the first surplus since privatization.

Source: FBS福岡放送ニュース

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

As of 9 p.m. on May 30th, Typhoon No. 6 (Chanthu) was strengthening as it moved northwest east of the Philippines, with forecasts calling for the storm to develop into a strong typhoon before passing near Okinawa from June 1st to June 2nd, bringing the threat of violent winds, high waves and torrential rain while raising concerns over heavy rainfall across western and eastern Japan.

A series of false bear sighting reports posted to an online alert system operated by Aomori Prefecture has disrupted schools, prompted a police investigation, and raised concerns about the growing impact of misinformation on public safety.

A social media dispute between a 17-year-old high school student from Tokyo's Itabashi Ward and a 16-year-old boy from Edogawa Ward escalated into a planned group fight involving around 30 youths, some of whom allegedly brought weapons including a rusty saw, iron pipes, a special baton and even a shovel.

Japan's population stood at 123.05 million in 2025, according to preliminary results from the national census released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, marking a decline of 3.097 million people over the past five years.

Volleyball player Shunichiro Sato, a member of Japan’s men’s national team, was arrested by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department on suspicion of possessing marijuana after allegedly leaving a bag containing the drug at a pachinko parlor in Tokyo.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Travel NEWS

A Japan Airlines passenger aircraft that made an emergency landing after suffering a tire malfunction has prompted the discovery of runway damage at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, with authorities now investigating whether the two incidents are connected.

Kansai Airport has completed its first large-scale renovation since opening, 24 additional stores, including a Universal Studios Japan outlet, marking the theme park's first airport store in Japan.

Osaka City will stop accepting new applications for its special-zone minpaku program on May 29 as complaints over noise, garbage disposal and other issues involving guests continue to increase.

Sanmarc Holdings is betting on Kyoto's global appeal and the growing popularity of gyukatsu among foreign tourists as it accelerates overseas expansion, with President Yuki Fujikawa positioning the beef cutlet chain as a key driver of the restaurant group's inbound tourism and international growth strategy.

A new travel style known as “Otetutabi,” which combines short-term work with tourism, is rapidly gaining attention across Japan as both travelers and local businesses search for new ways to address changing social and economic realities.

The route dispute surrounding the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Osaka has been thrown back into uncertainty, with the long-discussed "Obama-Kyoto Route" effectively returned to square one as ruling coalition lawmakers consider eight alternative plans, including a route via Maibara Station in Shiga Prefecture.

Traditional rice planting was held on May 27th in Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture, where women dressed as saotome carefully planted Koshihikari rice seedlings as traditional rice planting songs echoed across the historic village.

People caught littering in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward will face on-the-spot fines of 2,000 yen starting June 1st under revised local regulations aimed at tackling a surge in street garbage around the busy entertainment district.