InsideJapan News Network

A contentious clause in a new piece of draft aviation legislation is to be dropped.

Presented in a draft bill designed to reform airport law, the clause - if retained - would enable the capping of foreign ownership levels at Japan's most significant airports, reports the Japan Times.

This latest decision has been made amid concern over the clause's impact on levels of foreign direct investment in Japan.

However, those in favour of the clause have raised concerns that the absence of ownership restrictions could impact upon national security.

"[The planned restriction] struck foreign investors that the government will be defensive against foreign investment in the future," said Hideo Kumano, chief economist at Dai-ichi Life Research Institute, an organisation established in 1997.

"The government needs to explain how much impact it would have on national security by letting in foreign investment."

Japan has a number of first-class international airports, including Kansai International Airport in Osaka and Chubu International Airport in Aichi.



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