羽田空港 ハブ化推進は当然の選択だ

The Yomiuri Shimbun(Oct. 14, 2009)
Haneda natural choice as hub airport
羽田空港　ハブ化推進は当然の選択だ（10月14日付・読売社説）

Will Japan's air gateway return from Narita to Haneda Airport?
　日本の空の玄関が、成田から羽田に戻ることになるのだろうか。

Construction and Transport Minister Seiji Maehara said his top priority is turning Haneda Airport into a hub for international flights that can operate on a 24-hour basis.
　前原国土交通相が、羽田空港を２４時間稼働する国際拠点（ハブ）空港として、最優先で整備していく考えを示した。

Haneda Airport is scheduled to open its fourth runway in October 2010. Maehara said the practice of routing most international flights bound for Tokyo to Narita Airport in Chiba Prefecture and most domestic flights to Haneda Airport would be eliminated with the opening of the fourth runway at Haneda and that there would be a sharp increase in the number of international flights to and from Haneda Airport.
　来年１０月に４本目の滑走路ができるのを機に、「国際線は成田、国内線は羽田」という「内際分離」の原則を取り払い、羽田発着の国際線の便数を大幅に増やす。

It is difficult to increase the departure and arrival slots at Narita Airport by a significant number due to the many operational restrictions at the facility. Turning Haneda Airport, which is in the Tokyo metropolitan area, into a hub for international flights is quite a natural choice from the perspective of convenience. The government should proceed with discussions for the realization of the proposal.
　運営上の制約が多い成田空港の発着枠は大幅増が難しい。利便性を考えても、都心に近い羽田の拠点空港化は当然の選択だ。実現に向け協議を進めるべきである。

The advantage of a hub airport is that international and domestic flights converge there and connecting flights for passengers and air freight are available in a single location.
　国際線と国内線が集中し、客や荷物の乗り継ぎが一度にできるのが拠点空港の利点だ。

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International competition

South Korea, China and other Asian countries have developed as a national project an airport with multiple runways that can operate on a 24-hour basis to attract visitors and goods from abroad.
韓国や中国などは、国を挙げて複数の滑走路を持つ２４時間発着可能な空港を整備し、海外から人やモノを呼び込もうとしている。

Although construction work to extend the second runway at Narita Airport will soon be completed, there will be little increase in the departure and arrival slots. The airport's weaknesses are that it is far from the Tokyo metropolitan area and cannot operate early in the morning and late at night due to noise prevention measures.
　これに対して成田空港では、間もなく２本目の滑走路の延伸工事が完了するが、それでも発着枠はいくらも増えない。都心から遠く、騒音防止のため深夜・早朝の発着ができないという弱点もある。

If Japan sticks to the principle of separating domestic and international services between the airports, the nation could be removed from the Asian aviation network. If most of increase in the departure and arrival slots at Haneda Airport is assigned to international flights, the airport would be able to function well as a hub airport.
　いつまでも内際分離にこだわっていては、日本がアジアの航空ネットワークから外れかねない。発着枠増加分の大半を国際線に振り向ければ、羽田は拠点空港として十分機能するだろう。

However, Narita Airport opened despite fierce opposition to its construction. Many flights to and from Haneda Airport, which will be increased, will fly over Chiba Prefecture. It is necessary to give due consideration to noise prevention and gain the consent of the Chiba prefectural and Narita municipal governments.
　ただ、成田は激しい建設反対運動を押し切って開港した経緯がある。増便される羽田発着の航空機の多くは、千葉県上空を飛ぶことになる。騒音対策も十分に考慮し、成田の地元である千葉県や成田市の同意を得る必要がある。

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Narita still necessary

Maehara said Narita Airport will continue to be used as an international airport. Just opening Haneda Airport to international traffic will not be sufficient to meet the increasing demand for international flights.
　前原国交相は、「成田は引き続き国際空港として活用する」としている。増え続ける国際線の需要を満たすには、羽田の国際化だけでは不十分である。

There are many overseas airlines that seek an extension of services into Narita and Haneda airports. The improvement of Narita Airport should also be steadily promoted.
　成田や羽田に乗り入れを求める海外の航空会社は数多い。成田の整備も着実に進めるべきだ。

The influence of turning Haneda Airport into a hub for international flights will not be limited to airports in the Tokyo area. The impact on Kansai Airport, where the number of passengers has been decreasing, will be severe.
　羽田の拠点空港化の影響は、首都圏の空港にとどまらない。特に旅客減が続く関西空港の経営は、厳しさを増しそうだ。

The management of Kansai Airport is struggling under the weight of more than 1 trillion yen in interest-bearing debts. Furthermore, Japan Airlines is considering sharply decreasing its number of flights to and from the airport. The central and related local governments must take drastic reconstruction measures, such as assuming responsibility for repaying debts from the airport company.
　１兆円を超える有利子負債が空港経営を圧迫する中、経営難に陥っている日本航空も大幅な減便を計画している。国や地元自治体による債務の肩代わりなど、抜本的な再建策が欠かせまい。

But if there is no change in the situation in which Itami Airport and Kobe Airport are competing for passengers, the revitalization of Kansai Airport will be difficult even with a decreased debt load.
　だが、伊丹、神戸両空港と客を奪い合う状況が変わらなければ、債務が減っても立て直しは難しい。

A review of aviation administration in the Kansai region, with an eye to the possible shutting down or a drastic downsizing of Itami Airport, is a basic premise for the support measures.
伊丹の廃止・大幅縮小も視野に入れ、関西の空港行政を見直すことが支援の大前提となる。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 14, 2009)
（2009年10月14日00時14分 読売新聞）