Airport construction facing DPJ hatchet

Transport minister Seiji Maehara suggested Sunday he may review the special budgetary account for airport construction and maintenance, saying the account is one of the reasons the government keeps building airports in areas where there is little demand.

His comments represent a new government initiative to reform the airport management system as part of overhauling the framework of public works projects. The airport account "is one of the biggest problems," Maehara said on a TV talk show while discussing the causes of Japan Airlines Corp.'s financial troubles.

"We have a system of continuing to build airports, because the account is there," Maehara said.

"The reality is that once an airport is built we have to make use of it (regardless of the necessity)" and JAL, as the nation's largest carrier, has often been forced to open routes to them, he said.

There has been a vicious cycle "possibly dragging on" JAL's rehabilitation, he said, suggesting the government will re-examine the special account in concert with efforts to turn the airline around.