Mitsubishi Estate Co., Japan’s second largest real estate developer that signed a contract last week to develop Shimoji Airport and surrounding areas in Miyakojima City is ready to begin building the passenger terminal facility at the airport. The company plans to start the construction in June.

According to the company plan, the terminal will feature a distinctive southern atmosphere to attract private jets of high-income individuals, international flight services from Taiwan, China, and Korea, as well as domestic flight services by low cost carriers (LLC).

Hirotaka Sugiyama, the CEO of Mitsubishi Estate Co., who attended the signing ceremony said, “Miyako Island has beautiful oceans and environment that is fully available to use as an international airport.” The company aims to attract 55,000 passengers in the first year, and 570,000 in 2025 by creating new services that the existing Miyako airport doesn’t have.

FSO, a flight simulator training service company in Okinawa, is planning to establish a flight training program based on Shimoji Airport, through which students are able to obtain a pilot license valid in Japan and the U.S. using a simulator and flight training. FSO expects that more pilots will be needed in Asian countries in the near future. They have a plan to accept trainees from other countries as well. They plan to open he flight school in April 2018.

Last year, FSO concluded memorandums with two universities in Taiwan regarding training pilots.

FSO CEO Naoya Tamanaha says, “We would like to offer plans to attract many trainees from overseas with close approximity to Shimoji like Taiwan and China.”

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