Fuji Airfield

Primarily economic reasons. The global oil crisis of 1973 led to a dramatic surge in aviation fuel prices and a significant economic downturn in Japan. This made operations for a small, private general aviation airfield, which depended on discretionary spending for activities like flight training and sightseeing, financially unsustainable.

The former airfield site has been completely redeveloped and is unrecognizable as an airport. The land is now occupied by major public facilities, most notably the Fuji City Central Hospital (富士市立中央病院), the Fuji City Emergency Medical Center (富士市救急救命センター), and their extensive parking lots. The long, straight layout of the main hospital parking area roughly follows the alignment of the former runway.

Fuji Airfield was a private general aviation facility that opened around 1962. It was never a major commercial airport with scheduled passenger services. Its primary role was to support the local general aviation community. Key operations included:
- **Flight Training:** It served as a base for training new private pilots.
- **Sightseeing Flights:** Its prime location offered exceptional aerial tours of Mount Fuji, a popular activity for tourists and locals.
- **Private Aviation:** It provided facilities for privately owned light aircraft.
In the Japanese system, it was classified as a 'Jōgai Rikurichaku-jō' (場外離着陸場), which translates to an 'off-field landing and takeoff site,' a designation for smaller, less regulated airfields not part of the national public airport network.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening Fuji Airfield. The site has been permanently repurposed for critical public infrastructure, including a major regional hospital. The land is fully developed, making any return to aviation use impossible.