January 13, 2024

Japanese Communist Party parliamentarians Miyamoto Toru (Lower House) and Yamazoe Taku (Upper House) on January 11 held a hearing for the Transport Ministry and other relevant government organizations in regard to the recent collision between a Japan Airlines passenger jet and a Japan Coast Guard aircraft at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

The JCP Tokyo Metropolitan Assemblymembers’ group took part in the hearing.

Transport Ministry officials explained the measures which the ministry has so far taken in reaction to the tragic accident, such as assignment of personnel for constant monitoring of aircraft to prevent accidental incursions into runways. In response to a question about the number of flight controllers deployed at Haneda Airport, the officials answered around 500.

Miyamoto introduced frontline workers’ voices, “The number of air-traffic controllers has not increased despite an increase in workload. We work in fear of accidents.” He demanded that a sufficient number of controllers be deployed. The ministry officials in reply avoided making a clear response to the JCP lawmaker’s request.

Yamazoe pointed out that as required by the International Civil Aviation Organization, investigations into the cause of the Haneda collision should be carried out separately from the police investigation and independently by the Japan Transport Safety Board.

The JCP Tokyo Metropolitan Assemblymembers’ group, as a factor behind the accident, pointed out that Haneda Airport has become busier than ever as it handles more flights after new flight routes were established.