Shinmaiko Seaplane Base

Primarily economic reasons. The seaplane base, which offered sightseeing flights, was a casualty of the collapse of the Japanese asset price bubble in the early 1990s. The subsequent economic recession led to a sharp decline in demand for luxury leisure and tourism activities, making the operation financially unviable.

The site of the former seaplane base has been fully redeveloped and integrated into the Shinmaiko Marine Park (新舞子マリンパーク), a major public recreational area in Chita. The park features artificial beaches (known as Blue Sun Beach), prominent wind turbines that serve as a local landmark, fishing piers, and green spaces for public events and leisure. There are no visible remnants of the original seaplane facility, such as the pontoon or terminal building.

The Shinmaiko Seaplane Base was a small, privately-operated facility that opened around July 1989 as part of a larger leisure development project. Its primary function was to provide commercial sightseeing flights for tourists. Operated by Shin Nihon Helicopter Co., Ltd. (a subsidiary of the Meitetsu Group), it used aircraft like the Cessna TU206G seaplane to offer scenic tours over the Chita Peninsula, Ise Bay, and the construction site of what would become Chubu Centrair International Airport. Its existence was brief and intrinsically tied to the 'bubble economy' era's boom in recreational developments. It was not a major transportation hub or military installation.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Shinmaiko Seaplane Base. The area is now a popular and well-established public park, and reintroducing aviation operations would conflict significantly with its current recreational use, raising safety and noise concerns. The region's comprehensive air travel needs are fully served by the nearby Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO).