Number of International Flight Passengers at Japanese Airports Bounces Back in 2023

A report on airport management published by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism found that 71.8 million international flight passengers used Japanese airports in 2023, including those making transfers. This was around 70% of the level prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Boosted by rising tourism, in 2019 the total number of passengers arriving or departing on international flights in Japan reached a record high of 103.3 million. This figure dropped to below 20 million for the following three years, during the COVID-19 pandemic, before showing a strong recovery in 2023. However, the volume of international freight passing through Japanese airports in 2023 fell 10% year on year to 3.3 million tons.

Narita was the airport with the most international flight passengers in 2023, handling 33% of the total, followed by Haneda with 24%, Kansai with 23%, and Fukuoka with 9%. This was the third consecutive year that Kansai ranked lower than Haneda, taking third place.

Narita had the highest share of international freight at 56.2%, compared to Kansai with 21.7% and Haneda with 17.1%.

The chart below shows the top 10 airports for total passengers in 2023, combining figures for domestic and international flights. Haneda had the highest amount of traffic with 78.4 million, averaging 214,000 daily passengers. Due to a major increase in international flight passengers, Narita rose from fifth in 2022 to second in 2023, and Kansai from seventh to fourth.

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)