Nemuro Emergency Landing Ground

The airport was closed primarily for economic reasons and its increasing obsolescence. Its usage had declined significantly over the years, making the high maintenance costs for its aging, unpaved runway and basic facilities unjustifiable. The nearby and much better-equipped Nakashibetsu Airport (RJCN) could adequately handle regional air traffic and emergency diversions, rendering the dedicated emergency field redundant.

The site has been completely redeveloped and no longer functions as an airfield. After its official closure and abolishment, the land was sold by the national government to the city of Nemuro. The city then leased the property for a new purpose, and it is now the location of the Nemuro City Furenko Solar Power Plant (根室市風蓮湖ソーラー発電所), a large-scale solar energy farm. The former runway and all aviation infrastructure have been removed and replaced with rows of solar panels.

The facility originated during World War II as the Bettoga No. 2 Airfield (ベットガ第二飛行場), operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. After the war, it was repurposed and designated as an official Emergency Landing Ground under the management of the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB). It featured a single gravel runway approximately 1,200 meters (3,937 feet) long. Its primary role was to provide a safe landing site for aircraft experiencing in-flight emergencies over the remote eastern Hokkaido region, particularly for medical evacuation flights and government aircraft. It served as a critical piece of aviation safety infrastructure in an area with challenging weather and limited alternatives for many decades.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Nemuro Emergency Landing Ground. The permanent conversion of the site into a major solar power plant makes any future use as an airport virtually impossible without completely removing the current infrastructure. Its aviation role is considered permanently obsolete.