Misawa Airport
Encyclopedia
History
An Imperial Japanese Navy Air ServiceImperial Japanese Navy Air Service
The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service was the air arm of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II, the organization was responsible for the operation of naval aircraft and the conduct of aerial warfare in the Pacific War.It was controlled by the Navy Staff of the Imperial Japanese Navy and...
base was established at Misawa in 1941, and nearby Lake Ogawara
Lake Ogawara
is Japan's eleventh largest lake and the largest in Aomori Prefecture. It spans the boundaries of the city of Misawa and the town of Tohoku and the village of Rokkasho in Kamikita District.-Data:...
was reportedly one of the locations used by the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
to practice for the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
due to its shallow depth. The base was heavy bombed by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in 1945, and subsequently occupied by the United States after the surrender of Japan
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
at the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The first Misawa Airport was opened on January 11, 1952, with Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines
is an airline headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. It is the flag carrier of Japan and its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Tokyo International Airport , as well as Nagoya's Chūbu Centrair International Airport and Osaka's Kansai International Airport...
providing scheduled services to Haneda Airport in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and Chitose Airport in Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
. However, commercial operations were suspended from March 31, 1965 due to pressure from the United States, citing safety and security concerns, and flight operations were transferred to nearby JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base. Misawa Airport reopened on May 10, 1975, with a new terminal building completed in 1977; the terminal was expanded and rebuilt in 1986.
Initially served by Toa Airways
Toa Airways
Toa Airways Co., Ltd. was a Japanese airline and the predecessor of Japan Air System.On May 15, 1971, the airline merged with Japan Domestic Airlines to form Toa Domestic Airlines; on April 1, 1988 the merged airline renamed itself to Japan Air System. In the 2000s Japan Air System merged into...
with McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer and defense contractor, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. It formed from a merger of McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft in 1967. McDonnell Douglas was based at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport...
DC-9 and MD-80 aircraft to Tokyo (Haneda), Sapporo (Chitose), and Osaka Itami, operations were upgraded to Airbus
Airbus
Airbus SAS is an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, a European aerospace company. Based in Blagnac, France, surburb of Toulouse, and with significant activity across Europe, the company produces around half of the world's jet airliners....
A300 aircraft after Toa Airways became Japan Air System
Japan Air System
was the smallest of the big three Japanese airlines, headquartered in the JAS M1 Building at Tokyo International Airport in Ōta, Tokyo. In contrast to JAL and ANA, its international route network was very small, but its domestic network incorporated many smaller airports that were not served by...
in 1988. These flights were taken over by Japan Airlines after its acquisition of Japan Air System in 2002. However, with the opening of the Tōhoku Shinkansen
Tohoku Shinkansen
The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line, connecting Tokyo with Aomori in Aomori Prefecture for a total length of 674 km, Japan's longest Shinkansen line. It runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main island Honshu. It has two spur lines, Yamagata...
to Hachinohe
Hachinohe, Aomori
- Neighbouring municipalities :Aomori Prefecture*Sannohe District**Hashikami**Gonohe**Nanbu*Kamikita District**OiraseIwate Prefecture*Karumai-History:...
in December 2002, the number of passengers has decreased and equipment changed back to the MD-80. Flights to Chitose were discontinued in 2007.