The Japanese Shipowners' Association on Tuesday asked the Transport Ministry to ensure that any possible expansion plans for Tokyo's Haneda airport do not adversely affect navigation in Tokyo Bay.
Association chair Masaharu Ikuta, also chairman of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, warned in a statement that crowded sea routes in Tokyo Bay could lead to shipwrecks or other accidents, which would seriously damage both the natural environment and the transportation of cargo in the Tokyo area.
The Tokyo government and the airline association have separately proposed that the central government extend the airport's landfill further into the sea and build an additional runway to cope with the rise in passengers.