The North Satellite Facility of Terminal 1, which was opened to the media on Tuesday, marks the first large-scale expansion since the terminal opened in September 1993, according to Kyodo News.
Its new facility is a hybrid structure which uses steel and about 1,800 cubic meters of timber to reduce its environmental impact, according to Haneda’s operator, Japan Airport Terminal.
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The North Satellite Facility of Terminal 1 at Haneda Airport, Tokyo, Japan. Photo by Haneda Airport |
It is also designed to improve passenger convenience by including a lounge and children’s area, as well as free self-driving vehicles to help passengers get around.
The facility is reportedly designed to reduce annual energy consumption by more than 30%, which is accomplished with solar panels and columns that block the setting sun, according to NHK.
With the Japanese government aiming to increase the number of foreign visitors to 60 million in 2030, the number of Haneda Airport users exceeded 90 million in 2025 for the first time. The number of takeoffs and landings reached about 490,000, the upper limit of the airport’s flight capacity.
The resulting congestion, along with earlier expansions of terminal buildings, has already increased the time required to transport baggage, contributing to flight delays.
Japanese airlines announced earlier in August that, starting in September, they will require baggage for domestic flights to be checked in at least 30 minutes before departure, instead of 20 minutes, to reduce delays.
Kumiko Saito, an executive officer of Japan Airlines, said at the pre-opening press event: “Since the distance from the security checkpoint will increase, Haneda airport passengers will need to arrive earlier to complete check-in procedures, and we would like to ask for understanding and cooperation to ensure timely departures.”
Haneda this year was awarded the World’s Best Domestic Airport title by Skytrax for the 14th consecutive year. It was also the cleanest airport in the world for the 11th year in a row.
Opened in 1931 with a single runway, it is one of Japan’s oldest major airports. It has expanded from a predominantly domestic airport into a three-terminal, four-runway international hub through decades of offshore expansion and redevelopment.