Japanese authorities have heightened restrictions on nighttime operations at Itami Airport. Starting from the enforcement, no flights are to take off or land at the airport, located in Hyogo Prefecture, after 9 PM. These provisions could help ease the noise pollution and disturbances caused to residents living near the airport. No details have been given regarding exceptions or potential consequences for violations.

Noise pollution has long been a critical issue in Japan, due to its high population density and limited space. Airports located near residential areas are particularly troublesome. Residents in the vicinity of airports like Itami have complained about the high levels of noise, especially at night. This policy change is viewed as a serious effort by the authorities to respond to these concerns.

This compares to the issue of night flights in the US and EU, where several airports have also implemented night-time flight restrictions to mitigate the impact on residents. Rules vary from country to country and airport to airport, concerning aspects like take off and landing times, noise levels, or quotas for night-time operations.