Kansai International Airport’s Populous Redesigned Terminal 1 Opens Ahead of World Expo 2025

KANSAI, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 15, 2025--

Kansai Airports and global design firm Populous have been working for more than seven years to completely reimagine the airport’s floor plan, bringing a new level of efficiency and experience for travellers to Japan’s west.

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Populous Senior Principal and Director, Brett Wightman, said the original Kansai International Airport (KIX) Terminal 1 wanted to make the best possible use of the existing infrastructure and maximize commercial return for Kansai Airports.

“Working closely with the facility operators, key stakeholders and end users, as well as expert retail and planning consultants, we have been able to craft a design that is built upon operational functionality, passenger convenience, accessibility and sustainability, while delivering innovative solutions that create an authentic and experiential environment with a clearly defined spirit of place,” Mr Wightman said.

The new Terminal 1 includes a 60% increase in the size of the international departure lounge and retail offerings, the introduction of innovative retail layouts based on passenger experiences, and the creation of a seamless processing experience.

PHASED RENOVATION TO ALLOW FOR CONTINUED OPERATIONS

Populous led the architecture and interior design of the redevelopment, as well overseeing the project throughout construction.

Mr Wightman said, importantly, the design considered operational functionality during renovation.

The project has been completed in four phases to allow for continued operations of the airport, which is expected to accommodate more than 40 million passengers a year from 2025 and almost double international capacity.

In October 2022, KIX opened the new Phase 1 domestic area followed by the new international area. Phase 2 of the project was completed in December 2023, and included 6,650 square meters of additional airside retail outlets, 1,130 square meters of food and beverage space and a new centralized immigration area.

The Populous team and Kansai Airports completed Phase 3 on March 27, 2025, allowing the consolidation and extension of the security screening area to be ready before World Expo 2025 begins in April in Osaka.

PHASE 3 – INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CHECKPOINT OPENS 27 MARCH 2025

Phase 3 includes faster, more comfortable and smoother security inspection with additional smart lanes capable of processing between 4,500 and 6,000 passengers an hour.

The new queuing management system is the first of its kind in Japan, automatically controlling flapper gates to switch waiting lines by utilizing real-time passenger flow data. The system enables passengers to be automatically guided to the security inspection lanes based on the number of passengers and their flow.

A new commercial area includes 13 stores across international departures, international arrivals and a street food court.

The project has already been recognised for its architectural vision as a finalist in the 2023 World Architecture Festival Awards for Future Projects – Infrastructure.

Originally designed by world renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano, the airport is considered an architectural icon. Regarded as part of the high-tech architecture movement of the 1990s, KIX’s industrial design is famous for its asymmetrical clear-span sweeping aerofoil roofline. At 1.7km long, it is one of the longest airport passenger terminal buildings in the world.

Principal Design Manager, Architect Jack Kato said the redesign had to respect the old while embracing new commercial opportunities for passengers.

“We broke away from the former gray color scheme, reinvigorating the interior spaces with a palette of natural materials to give the terminal a distinctly Japanese feel, but at the same time we opened up areas like the relocated immigration hall to provide an open space reflecting the original architecture and offering an inspiring arrival experience to start each journey,” Mr Kato said.

“This will transform the arrival experience of each journey into something inspirational.”

KANSAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT'S POPULOUS REDESIGNED TERMINAL 1 OPENS AHEAD OF WORLD EXPO 2025. The final phase of the refurbished Kansai International Airport (KIX) Terminal 1 has opened on 27 March 2025 to accommodate the millions of passengers expected to pass through the iconic building to attend World Expo in Osaka. Kansai Airports and global design firm Populous have been working for more than seven years to completely reimagine the airport's floor plan, bringing a new level of efficiency and experience for travellers to Japan's west.

KANSAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT'S POPULOUS REDESIGNED TERMINAL 1 OPENS AHEAD OF WORLD EXPO 2025. The final phase of the refurbished Kansai International Airport (KIX) Terminal 1 has opened on 27 March 2025 to accommodate the millions of passengers expected to pass through the iconic building to attend World Expo in Osaka. Kansai Airports and global design firm Populous have been working for more than seven years to completely reimagine the airport's floor plan, bringing a new level of efficiency and experience for travellers to Japan's west.

KANSAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT'S POPULOUS REDESIGNED TERMINAL 1 OPENS AHEAD OF WORLD EXPO 2025. The final phase of the refurbished Kansai International Airport (KIX) Terminal 1 has opened on 27 March 2025 to accommodate the millions of passengers expected to pass through the iconic building to attend World Expo in Osaka. Kansai Airports and global design firm Populous have been working for more than seven years to completely reimagine the airport's floor plan, bringing a new level of efficiency and experience for travellers to Japan's west.

KANSAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT'S POPULOUS REDESIGNED TERMINAL 1 OPENS AHEAD OF WORLD EXPO 2025. The final phase of the refurbished Kansai International Airport (KIX) Terminal 1 has opened on 27 March 2025 to accommodate the millions of passengers expected to pass through the iconic building to attend World Expo in Osaka. Kansai Airports and global design firm Populous have been working for more than seven years to completely reimagine the airport's floor plan, bringing a new level of efficiency and experience for travellers to Japan's west.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.

Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”

Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”

Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.

Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”

Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.

“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.

The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)