Tangajima Airstrip

The closure was a direct result of the cessation of aircraft manufacturing and flight testing activities by its owner, ShinMaywa Industries, at the adjacent Himeji plant. The airfield's primary purpose was to support the production of the PS-1 and US-1 aircraft. With the conclusion of these programs, the specialized airfield became redundant. The prime industrial real estate was subsequently sold and redeveloped for other industrial purposes.

The site of the former airstrip has been completely redeveloped and is now an integral part of the Idemitsu Kosan Hyogo Refinery. The land is covered by a dense complex of industrial infrastructure, including large oil storage tanks, processing facilities, and pipelines. There are no visible remnants of the former runway or aviation facilities.

The facility, officially known as Himeji Airfield (姫路飛行場, Himeji Hikōjō), was a private airfield established around 1962 by ShinMaywa Industries (the successor to the Kawanishi Aircraft Company). It was located on a man-made island called Tanga-shima (妻鹿島) in the Port of Himeji. Its significance lies in its unique role as the primary flight test and delivery center for ShinMaywa's iconic STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) amphibian aircraft. The airfield featured a runway (approximately 720 meters long) for conventional landings and direct access to the Seto Inland Sea for water-based operations. It was instrumental in the development and service life of key aircraft used by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, including the UF-XS experimental STOL aircraft, the PS-1 anti-submarine warfare flying boat, and the US-1 search and rescue amphibian.

None. The prospect of reopening the airstrip is zero. The land has been permanently and completely repurposed for heavy industrial use as a major oil refinery, making any future aviation activity at this specific location physically and economically impossible.