doi: 10.18178/joebm.2026.14.2.913
The Internationalization of Kobe Airport in Japan and Policies for the Kobe Economy
Yu Morimoto
- Faculty of Economics, Konan University, Kobe, Japan
- Manuscript received December 15, 2025
- accepted April 13, 2026
- published April 30, 2026
Abstract
In 2025, international flights began operating from Kobe Airport in the Kansai region of Japan. Previously, Kansai Airport held a monopolistic position as the primary gateway to the Kansai region, one of Japan’s foremost tourist destinations. However, foreign tourists now also be able to enter Japan via Kobe, which presents a significant opportunity for the economic development of Kobe. What policies should Kobe adopt to maximize the benefits of airport internationalization? This study uses flight booking data provided by OAG to clarify the traffic flow at Kobe Airport and the characteristics of its aviation market. Based on the results of this analysis, potential policies for development of Kobe economy will be suggested.
Keywords
- internationalization of an airport
- Kobe airport
- Kansai airport
- tourism
- regional economy
How to Cite
Yu Morimoto, "The Internationalization of Kobe Airport in Japan and Policies for the Kobe Economy," Journal of Economics, Business and Management, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 81-84, 2026. https://doi.org/10.18178/joebm.2026.14.2.913
Copyright & License
Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).