When Kansai airport in Osaka Prefecture was shut down earlier this month after Typhoon Jebi flooded the main runway and terminal building — and caused a tanker to break loose and crash into the only bridge to the mainland — there were fears the damage meant the region's largest and only international airport would be closed for a long time and cripple the local economy.
Instead, nearly three weeks later, the sinking offshore airport's runway and terminal building are back in operation and all passenger flights have resumed. Train service across the bridge was restored on Tuesday.
The speed of Kansai International Airport's recovery surprised a lot of people, including Osaka officials.