Ten years have passed since Narita airport opened its long-delayed second runway, and its operator is hoping the stubby strip, which can accommodate the smaller aircraft favored by budget airlines, will be the key to fending off competition from other airports in Asia.
But Narita International Airport Corp. still has to resolve a long-standing dispute with landowners who delayed the runway's construction — and the airport's expansion plans — for years.
The negotiations are deadlocked, and the two sides are apparently unable to even set a time frame for an agreement.