Narita International Airport has decided to accept imported jet fuel to deal with a shortage that has impacted foreign carriers seeking to increase flights during a surge in demand.
The airport is in the process of receiving jet fuel that a Japanese trading company has procured from abroad for its airline clients. It will be the first time Narita has used its own fueling and transport facilities to maintain supply, a spokesperson said last week while declining to give details such as the quantity of fuel to be imported.
The move comes as Japan witnesses a sharp rise in the number of foreign travelers, partly attracted by the yen trading at a 38-year low. Domestic and international airports have been facing a fuel crunch over the past few months, amid a shortage of workers and fuel tankers. The transport ministry last month set up a task force to address the issue.
Under the latest initiative, jet fuel will be unloaded at an oil terminal Narita owns in nearby Chiba City and pumped to the airport via pipeline. The company will charge for the use of its facility.
Increasing production of jet fuel at domestic refineries risks affecting the supply of other oil products such as gasoline, Masaharu Hirokane, an analyst at Nomura Securities, said in a report. The shortage is likely to continue and importing is a realistic solution, he added.