OSAKA (Kyodo) Departing Panasonic Corp. Executive Vice President Shinichi Fukushima took the reins of Kansai International Airport Co. on Wednesday, saying he would do his best to turn around the fortunes of the struggling facility and may seek more state aid.
"I would like to boost the international competitiveness of the airport as a hub for western Japan, despite difficult conditions, such as falling air traffic demand and competition from other airports at home and abroad," the airport's new president told a press conference.
Fukushima, 60, who resigns Thursday from Panasonic, is the second person from the company to head the airport, following predecessor Atsushi Murayama.
The airport company, one of several in the area, also replaced Hajime Miyamoto as chairman Wednesday with Satoshi Iwamura, former vice minister at the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry.