The new Naha International Airport Terminal has been open only a few months but has already proven inadequate to handle the ever increasing number and frequency of international flights.

The two air bridges, with four jetways, is not enough, airline officials say. A local representative of one major international airline noted right after the opening of the new facility that the terminal would have difficulty handling Boeing 777 aircraft at the gates, because the ramp space is very tight.

According to local news reports on Jul. 23rd, Naha Airport Building Co. officials agree, and are drawing up a plan to add two more ramps to the new terminal. They say adding the new slots has become urgent as the number of foreign visitors is expected to increase to 3 million a year within the next few years. Okinawa received record 900,000 foreign visitors in 2013, and the numbers have run at record levels this year as the prefecture is waging major tourism promotions in Asian countries.

Procedures are now under way with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to start the construction in 2019, at the same time with the construction to connect the domestic and international terminals is scheduled to begin.

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