Ishioka Air Base

Regional aviation consolidation and land redevelopment. The Japanese government developed the nearby Hyakuri Air Base into a joint-use civil and military facility (Ibaraki Airport). This new, larger airport made smaller, older airfields like Ishioka redundant. The land was then designated for redevelopment.

The site has been completely repurposed and no longer functions as an airport. The vast majority of the former airfield, including the main runway, is now occupied by a large-scale solar power plant, often referred to as a 'mega-solar' farm. The distinct outline of the former runway is still visible from satellite imagery, but it is now covered with solar panels. There is no remaining aviation infrastructure.

The airport has a significant military and civil history. It was originally established during World War II as the Chiyoda Naval Air Base (千代田基地) for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It served as a key training facility, including for Kamikaze pilots, during the final stages of the war. After the war, it was converted into a civilian airfield known as Ishioka Airfield (石岡飛行場). In its civilian role, it was a hub for general aviation, supporting activities such as private pilot training, glider clubs, skydiving operations, and ultralight aircraft. The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) also occasionally used the site for training exercises.

None. The prospect of reopening is effectively zero. The land has been permanently redeveloped for industrial energy production. Furthermore, the region's aviation needs are now fully served by the modern and much larger Ibaraki Airport, which is located just 6 km (approx. 3.7 miles) to the northeast, making a second, smaller airfield in such close proximity unnecessary and economically unviable.