Former Monbetsu Airport

The airport was closed due to its replacement by the new, larger, and more modern Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport (IATA: MBE, ICAO: RJEM). The original airport had significant operational limitations, including a short 1,200-meter runway that could not accommodate jet aircraft and a lack of an Instrument Landing System (ILS). This resulted in frequent flight cancellations and diversions, especially during winter and periods of sea fog, hindering regional economic development and tourism. The new airport was constructed to overcome these issues and provide reliable, year-round service with larger aircraft.

The site of the former airport has been completely redeveloped and repurposed. It is now the location of the Okhotsk Kaiyō Park (Okhotsk Ocean Park), a large public recreational area. While the original terminal and hangars have been demolished, parts of the former runway and taxiways have been integrated into the park's infrastructure as roads, parking lots, and a go-kart track known as the Monbetsu City Kart Circuit. The rest of the area consists of green spaces and sports facilities.

Opened in 1966 as a third-class airport, the Former Monbetsu Airport served as the primary air link for the Okhotsk subprefecture for over three decades. It was a vital piece of infrastructure for connecting the remote coastal city of Monbetsu with other parts of Hokkaido and Japan. Operations were primarily handled by regional carriers like Air Nippon (ANK), a subsidiary of All Nippon Airways (ANA). The main route connected Monbetsu with Sapporo (initially Okadama Airport, later New Chitose Airport). The airport exclusively handled turboprop aircraft, most notably the NAMC YS-11.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening the former airport. It was permanently and officially replaced by the superior Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport, and the land has since been fully redeveloped for public and recreational use, making a return to aviation activities infeasible.