Commonly known as Kanku (an abbreviation of its Japanese name), the new gateway to Japan is being hailed as a vital international hub for the future.

The ultra-modern passenger terminal is said to be the world's largest single structure. It was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano.

From the air, the airport with its two wings and silver roof, resembles a giant bird, or even a glider.

Of the 32 carriers from 24 countries already flying into Kansai, several have begun operating into Japan via the new airport for the first time.

Designers have ensured that passengers could reach the new airport by rail, road or sea.

The main access is by rail, with a 29-minute shuttle to the heart of Osaka, 50 kilometres away, and a 75-minute journey to Kyoto.

Meanwhile, high-speed ferries connect the terminal to Awajishima island and Tukoshima. A 32-minute ride by hydrofoil connects with Kobe. Two expressways also serve the airport to all cities in the Kansai region.

Kansai has a distinct advantage over Narita (which, like Kai Tak in Hong Kong, has reached its capacity) for handling passengers transferring to domestic flights.

The terminal also has incorporated the most advanced technologies. It is capable of handling 30 million passengers annually and the runway can take 160,000 landings a year.

Foreign companies - mostly from France, Britain, the Netherlands and Germany - participated in the construction, the first time overseas interests had been involved in a public works project of this magnitude in Japan.

Kansai was not completed without its share of problems.

The sea was 18 metres deep when reclamation started on the 510-hectare site.

The island site has continued to compact and sink, despite 33 metres of reclamation infill. The ground has already sunk by 10 metres.

On the other hand, Kansai has become the world's most expensive airport and laden with debt. It cost US$15 million - 50 per cent more than estimated - and by the time the project is completed the investment will have reached US$30 million.

Seventy per cent of construction was funded by loans and the Kansai International Airport Co.

The firm, established jointly by the national and local governments, along with private interests, now faces an enormous debt. Interest payments alone amount to about US$2 million a day.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) estimated the number of air travellers in Asia would increase by 10 per cent a year and there were few alternatives to building Kansai elsewhere.