Kiryu Airfield

The primary reason for closure was damage to the Watarase River levee, on which the airfield was situated, caused by the 2011 earthquake. In the aftermath, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism initiated extensive levee reinforcement and flood control projects. This large-scale civil engineering work made the site permanently unsuitable for aviation. Subsequently, the land was repurposed for economic and energy-related use, solidifying the closure.

The site of the former Kiryu Airfield has been completely repurposed. A significant portion of the old runway and surrounding area is now occupied by the 'E-power Kiryu Mega Solar Power Plant' (イー・パワー桐生メガソーラー発電所), a large-scale solar farm. While the elongated shape of the former airfield is still discernible from satellite imagery, the ground is now covered with thousands of solar panels, and the land is dedicated to renewable energy generation.

Kiryu Airfield was not a commercial or military airport but a 'Jōgai Rikuchakurijō' (場外離着陸場), an unofficial landing strip common on Japanese riverbeds. Its significance was primarily recreational. For decades, it served as a vital hub for the gliding and soaring community in the northern Kanto region. It was home to the Kiryu Soaring Club and was frequently used by glider pilots, as well as operators of ultralight aircraft and other general aviation enthusiasts. The ICAO code 'JP-1821' is an unofficial identifier used in databases and flight simulators, not an official code assigned by the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB).

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening Kiryu Airfield. The permanent installation of the mega solar power plant, a significant infrastructure investment, and the underlying civil engineering changes to the river levee for flood control make a return to aviation activities impossible.