New Kansai International Airport Co., an operator of two airports serving Osaka region unveiled a plan to sell the management rights to a qualified private consortium. Projected price of 45 year concession is minimum 2.2 trillion yen, which will be the largest of its kind in the nation’s concession contracts.

The airport company fully owned by the government will start procedure of bidding in October. Through the two-staged selection, a possible concessionaire is scheduled to be identified in June 2015. Foreign based businesses are allowed to participate in the selection.

The concession rights holder will be in charge of operation and repair works of airport facilities including runways and passenger terminals with its own funding. When unexpected matters such as earthquakes, tsunami and land subsidence occur, New Kansai Airport will be responsible in part of rehabilitation. (2014/07/28)