Gov. David Ige has publicly added his clout to the good idea of preclearance for Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, which would ease travel for tourists coming to Hawaii from there.

That possibility was opened in May, when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it was starting talks to expand preclearance to 10 foreign airports, Narita being one of them.

By stationing U.S. Customs agents at the departure airport, security and screening occurs before takeoff. That would mean less congestion at Customs at Honolulu Airport, and would enable travelers to fly directly from Narita to neighbor island airports.

Ige said a 20 percent boost in Japanese travelers was possible, and that would mean a boost, too, for Hawaii’s economy.