With the Ogasawara Islands marking the 50th anniversary on Tuesday of their return to Japan following U.S. occupation, a plan to connect the remote, subtropical islands with the Japanese mainland with air services has again come under the spotlight.
Residents have long hoped for flight services to boost tourism and convenience, as traveling to Chichijima — one of around 30 islands in the Pacific about 1,000 kilometers south of Tokyo — takes 24 hours by ship.
But some are concerned about potential disruption from building an airport on rare natural habitats, while others are worried about the financial cost.