The Diet enacted legislation Friday "privatizing" New Tokyo International Airport, initially putting the airport in Narita into the hands of a 100 percent government-owned company, which will be turned into a private concern in 2007.
The legislation renames the airport, which serves the Tokyo metropolitan area, as Narita International Airport.
The airport bill cleared the House of Councilors with the backing of the ruling coalition and the Democratic Party of Japan. The House of Representatives approved it May 22.