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OSAKA, JAPAN - Kansai and Osaka airports in western Japan on Friday began running under management by a consortium led by Japanese leasing company Orix Corp. and Vinci Airports of France, replacing a debt-saddled state-backed company. The consortium, called Kansai Airports, began managing Kansai International Airport and Osaka International Airport under a 44-year contract worth around 2.2 trillion yen ($19.6 billion), making it one of Japan's biggest projects employing private companies to run public facilities. The airports were formerly run by the state-backed New Kansai International Airport Co. "We are going to serve customers with hospitality to enable them to depart for their destination with a smile," Kansai Airports Chief Executive officer Yoshiyuki Yamaya said at an inauguration ceremony in Kansai airport's international flights arrival lobby. Kansai Airports Co-CEO Emmanuel Menanteau told reporters after the ceremony that the company will strive to help expand the inflow of tourists. The new operator also held a ceremony Friday for nearly 90 new recruits of its seven group companies.