Osaka Airport Aims to Reopen Friday After Typhoon

Kansai International Airport is scheduled to reopen on Friday, days after Typhoon Jebi passed through the airport, cutting off power and bringing heavy winds and floods to Japan’s third-largest airport.

According to the Japanese government, domestic flights will resume on Friday and international flights will restart as soon as the airport is able. Officials were previously expecting the airport to remain closed for a week because of the heavy damage caused by Typhoon Jeb, particularly to its runways and facilities.

The Typhoon also left about 3,000 passengers stranded at the airport on Wednesday, after an ocean tanker was unmoored by strong winds and crashed into the airport’s bridge to the mainland. The passengers were eventually rescued by ferries and speedboats.

Other nearby airports are expected to take some of Osaka’s traffic in the meantime — the city’s Gov. Ichiro Matsui said he would ask other airports in Osaka and Kobe to lend a hand while the damage is being repaired. He also said that the government is considering using Itami airport and Kobe airport as substitutes.