Niihama Airport

The airport was closed primarily for economic reasons and redundancy. The development and expansion of the nearby Matsuyama Airport (MYJ), which could handle larger jet aircraft, provided superior connections. Additionally, the opening of the Sanyō Shinkansen (bullet train) line offered a faster and more efficient alternative for travel to major hubs like Osaka, rendering the small Niihama Airport and its propeller-driven aircraft services obsolete.

The airport site has been completely redeveloped and no longer exists in its original form. A large portion of the former runway and airport grounds is now occupied by the Niihama Solar Power Plant, operated by Sumitomo Joint Electric Power Co., Ltd. Another part of the site has been converted into a public recreational space known as Marine Park Niihama, which includes event spaces and green areas.

Niihama Airport was a private airfield opened in April 1960, primarily established and operated by the Sumitomo Group to serve its major industrial operations in Niihama. It functioned as a vital link for business travel, connecting Sumitomo employees and other passengers to cities like Osaka (Yao Airport) and Tokyo (Haneda Airport). Airlines that were predecessors to the modern All Nippon Airways (ANA), such as Fujita Airlines, operated scheduled passenger services using small aircraft like the de Havilland Dove and de Havilland Heron. The airport was a key piece of infrastructure for the industrial city before the widespread availability of jet travel and high-speed rail in the region.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening Niihama Airport. The land has been permanently repurposed for industrial (solar energy generation) and public recreational use, making any return to aviation activities infeasible.