Yakejima Airfield

Primarily economic reasons. The airfield was a private facility owned by Hokuetsu Paper Mills (北越製紙, now Hokuetsu Corporation). The company decided to close the airfield due to the high costs associated with maintaining and replacing its aging fleet of corporate aircraft. It was no longer considered economically viable to operate a private airstrip for corporate transport.

The site of the former airfield has been completely repurposed and integrated into the operations of the Hokuetsu Corporation's Niigata Mill. The paved area that once served as the runway is now used as a large industrial storage yard. Satellite imagery clearly shows the area covered with vast piles of wood chips, logs, and other raw materials essential for paper production. The land is a critical part of the factory's raw material logistics and is not accessible to the public.

Yakejima Airfield, officially classified as an 'off-airfield landing site' (場外離着陸場 - jōgai richakuriku-jō), was established on December 26, 1974. It was built and operated exclusively by the Hokuetsu Paper Mills for their corporate needs. The primary function was to facilitate rapid transportation for company executives, engineers, and high-value cargo between the Niigata mill and other company locations or major cities. It typically handled small propeller aircraft, such as the company's Cessna. The airfield is a significant example of the private aviation infrastructure maintained by major Japanese industrial corporations during the latter half of the 20th century.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Yakejima Airfield. The original economic reasons for its closure remain valid, and the land has been fully converted for an essential industrial purpose by its owner. Given that the site is now a crucial part of a large manufacturing plant's supply chain, its reversion to an airfield is considered extremely unlikely.