Tuesday, March 22, 2011

I have left Japan from Narita airport

I have left Japan on 20-3-2011 from Narita airport.

Narita Airport (成田空港 Narita-kūkō, IATA: NRT ICAO: RJAA), located nearly 70 kilometers northeast of Tokyo, is Japan's largest international airport. The airport is generally modern and efficient, but sometimes overcrowded (particularly at immigration). Security has been rather heavy, especially when coming in, due toTemplate:Fact continuing controversy over land expropriated for the airport - there are plans in the works, however, to relax the checkpoints at train stations and possibly the entry gates for vehicles as part of the first security overhaul since the airport's 1978 opening.

The airport has two terminals connected by both train and bus. Foreign airlines operate out of either terminal, with Japanese carriers ANA and JAL operating out of terminals 1 and 2, respectively.

Narita airport was hit by the recent earthquake on 11-3-2011. Narita Airport had since resumed operations.





I have booked seats from Narita Express for my journey from Tokyo railway station to Narita airport, but it was not operational after the earthquake. I was forced to abandon my plan to travel from Tokyo to Narita airport. I took a JAL flight from Nagoya to Narita airport, avoiding journey to Tokyo, to prevent the possibility of the complication from radiation fear and earthquake. The Narita airport was crowded each day after the earthquake, people are rushing to move out. The day I departed from Narita airport, the airport was very crowded, some crowds are under the direction of their embassy. I saw a group from Hungary moving out on the same day of my departure on 20-3-2011. Most of the crowds in the airport are foreigners or Japanese with foreign family. The local Japanese seems to be very calm and not panic.

The Narita Express is still suspended as at 22-3-2011, but the local trains are in service between Narita Airport and Tokyo station, any readers who like to know more on airport access to Narita airport, please visit their website http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/index.html, for latest development. Other sources of information are:

[JR Rapid and Narita Express services]
For updated information, please contact JR East.
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/index.html

[Keisei main line, Narita Sky Access line]
Please contact Keisei Co., Ltd. for further information.
http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/index.html

Chiba prefectural government began releasing radiation readings but as of the present, no harmful levels of radiation have been detected(source: http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/ dated 22-3-2011). For information on effects of radiation from the Fukushima nuclear plants. The following websites may be helpful:-

Ministry of Land,Infrastructure,Transport and Tourism Website
http://www.mlit.go.jp/koku/koku_tk7_000003.html
Chiba government website (monitor location: Ichihara City) (Japanese only)
http://www.pref.chiba.lg.jp/taiki/h23touhoku/houshasen/20110318.html
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology website (monitor location: Tsukuba City)
http://www.aist.go.jp/aist_e/taisaku/en/measurement/index.html
Radiation readings are also available on the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology website.
http://www.mext.go.jp/english/
For more information, please refer to the US Embassy in Japan website.
http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/english/html/index.html

Currently both International Civil Aviation Organization(ICAO) and International Air Transport Association(IATA) have issued no restriction on Japan travel

International Civil Aviation Organization(ICAO), http://www2.icao.int/en/NewsRoom/Lists/News/DispForm.aspx?ID=37&Source=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.icao.int%2Fen%2Fnewsroom%2Fdefault.aspx
International Air Transport Association(IATA), http://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pages/2011-03-18-02.aspx

If you are still in Japan and wish to depart from Narita airport, please visit their website for latest information

I am now safely in my home.....We really enjoy our trip in South Japan, it is sad to leave Japan when they are facing crisis. We only can pray that things will back to normal soon.

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