$40 billion airport collapses: “Building there made sense”
Designed as a masterpiece of engineering and a symbol of modernity, Kansai International Airport now faces a slow and costly demise.
Located on an artificial island in Osaka Bay, Kansai International Airport (KIX) was designed to address overcrowding and noise issues at Itami Airport. Opened in 1994, this monumental engineering feat originally cost around $20 billion—though some estimates, accounting for inflation and ongoing maintenance to prevent collapse, place the figure closer to $40 billion.
For years, Kansai has been celebrated for its cutting-edge design, exceptional baggage handling, and ability to connect millions of passengers to over 90 international destinations. In 2024 alone, the airport served more than 30 million travelers.
Yet behind the accolades and operational efficiency lies a pressing concern: the airport is sinking faster than anticipated. The first island has already subsided by 13.66 meters since construction began, with a further drop of about 6 centimeters recorded at key control points just last year. The second, newer island presents even greater concern, having sunk a total of 17.47 meters—21 centimeters in the past twelve months alone.
Both islands were constructed on a foundation of alluvial clay, a soft, sponge-like soil. To improve stability, more than two million vertical drainage pipes were installed. However, the combined weight of earth, rock, and concrete has surpassed original projections.
The crisis came to a head in September 2018, when Typhoon Jebi—the most powerful storm to hit Japan in decades—flooded the airport, forcing its temporary closure and stranding 5,000 passengers for over a day without power. Strategic facilities, including the power plant and emergency center—both located underground—were among the hardest hit.
Despite these challenges, airport officials maintain that the rate of subsidence is within expected parameters and is being closely monitored. Kansai Airports reports that the sinking has slowed and that more than $150 million has been invested in strengthening seawalls and conducting studies in partnership with university experts.
Professor Hiroo Ichikawa of Meiji University, an urban planning specialist, argues that building offshore was a rational choice: “There wasn’t enough space on land for such a large project, and noise from night flights would have affected nearby residents, so constructing at sea made sense.”
Although Kansai’s situation is not considered a complete failure, it does serve as a cautionary tale for future infrastructure projects. Chubu Centrair Airport—also built on an artificial island, though on a smaller scale—has performed far better, winning the title of the world’s best regional airport for eleven consecutive years.
Ichikawa concedes that while the overall design was sound, the critical mistake was placing vital systems underground in a flood-prone area. Correcting this oversight and ensuring the airport’s continued stability will remain costly, but experts agree that—at least for now—the subsidence does not threaten its operation.
‘The Body’ at 61
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