Kansai Completes Its Terminal 1 Renovation

Kansai International Airport in Japan completed its Terminal 1 renovation with the opening of an international commercial area on 2 June 2026. VINCI Airports announced that the new area contains 24 outlets. The project began in 2021 and involved total investment of ¥70 billion.

A final commercial addition

The ¥70 billion figure covers the whole terminal programme. The new outlets include luxury brands, regional specialities and restaurants.

Construction around an operating terminal

In an earlier account of the project, Kansai Airports described the March 2025 reopening and the work behind it. The terminal stayed operational during renovation. Project staff explained that construction used limited late-night periods and temporary equipment.

Working within a live passenger building makes sequencing part of the construction task. A finished section must be usable while neighbouring work remains incomplete; temporary arrangements also have to connect with the spaces that stay open. The project team's account offers a practical view of that coordination, beyond the ceremonial moment when an area is inaugurated.

Three elements of the passenger environment

• Space to move between terminal functions.
• Directions that remain understandable along the route.
• Places to shop or eat before departure.

Finding the way through commercial space

The earlier account also describes a loop-style commercial layout supported by wall maps and overhead signs. Tenant coordination covered interiors, product selection and presentation. These details concern how the commercial environment was planned; they are not measurements of passenger spending or shop performance after the latest opening.

For an airport retailer, visibility and access sit alongside the appeal of the products themselves. A passenger may want to browse while still understanding where the onward route leads. The relationship between shops and circulation is therefore part of the offer: the commercial space has to function within a journey whose next stage is a flight.