"Scissors" Closes Airport in Japan: What's the Story?

Flight operations recently halted at one of Japan's busiest airports after a pair of scissors went missing. The concern over the scissors, which had been used in a shop in the departure lounge for a domestic flight, led to a security search lasting several hours at New Chitose Airport, which serves the Sapporo area on the northern island of Hokkaido. According to the airport, 36 flights were canceled on August 17, and 201 other flights were delayed during the search, as reported by CNN. There were fears that a "potential terrorist" might have taken the scissors and used them as a weapon on board an aircraft. The airport later announced that the scissors were found, allowing operations to resume. The operators of New Chitose Airport stated: "We recognize that the incident occurred due to a lack of proper usage, storage, and management systems by the shop's users." They added: "We will investigate this incident to determine its causes and prevent its recurrence. We will also reaffirm that this incident could be linked to hijacking and terrorist activity, and we will ensure that all airport staff are fully aware of the importance of management."