Hajime Atsuta, who led residential opposition to the construction of Narita airport, died of natural causes on Jan. 5, his family said Sunday. He was 93.
Born in the town of Shibayama in Chiba Prefecture near the airport, Atsuta was a key member of a group of opponents formed in 1966. He led his own faction after the protest group split up in 1983.
Citing old age and other reasons, Atsuta sold his land to the operator of Narita Airport in 2006 and moved to Tokyo.