The Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) is planning to conduct a field study for construction of the controversial Hantharwaddy Airport. According to a report in the Myanmar Times, the USD 1.5 billion project is being funded with help from Japan. Myanmar officials are expected to meet with their Japanese counterparts next month, the article said. “After the meeting, we expect to start conducting preliminary ground studies at the site of the airport,” U Zaw Min, deputy director of the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), was quoted as saying in the story. The parties will also discuss compensation for farmers and other issues around land acquisition, Zaw Min said. The project has faced many controversies since it was first announced when the country was under military junta rule. Critics of the project point to the recent increase in capacity at Yangon International Airport. Another issue raised is that Hantharwaddy Airport is planned 80 kilometers north of Yangon.