Has nothing to do with Al Qaeda - it has everything to do with a small group of committed holdover farmers who were upset when (almost all) their land was taken by the government for Narita International Airport. The protests went on for years, the farmer faction installed towers in the runway paths and attempted other methods of sabotage. (I remember because I was there during some of that time.)
A summary of the issue is
here.
Originally Posted by
Cofyknsult
You may have noticed a plot or two of land neatly cultivated between Terminal 2 and the 1st runway, a community of about 40 people who are the cause of the massive security at the airport gates, tunnels to permit them to join the outside world from in between the runways, massive anti tank barriers in the event one of them might thing of inviting an Al Quaeda operative for supper, etc... These people are the cause of a night curfew at NRT approximately between 11.30 PM and 8.00 AM for take offs. The whole thing has cost trlllions of yens over the past 25 years. Makes you wonder about the old tar and feathers method in the wild West