Kumamoto Airport (熊本空港, Kumamoto Kūkō) (IATA: KMJ, ICAO: RJFT), also known as Aso Kumamoto Airport (阿蘇くまもと空港, Aso Kumamoto Kūkō), is an airport in Mashiki, Kumamoto, Japan.
History
The first Kumamoto Airport opened in 1960 on the site of a former Imperial Japanese Army air base and had a 1,200 m runway. It was replaced by the current Kumamoto Airport in 1971. The new airport's 2,500 m runway was extended to 3,000 m in 1980.[2]
Kumamoto was one of three nationally owned airports to turn a profit in fiscal year 2011 (along with New Chitose Airport and Komatsu Airport).[3] In 2013, the government passed legislation aimed at eventually allowing the sale of an operating concession at the airport.[4]
In March 2018, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism decided to outsource the operation to a private company from April 2020 in order to accelerate the recovery from the Kumamoto earthquakes and to promote utilization and improve services by making use of private sector know-how.[citation needed] The operator is Kumamoto International Airport Co., Ltd., which is funded by a consortium of 11 companies led by Mitsui Fudosan.[citation needed]
Following the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes, which severely damaged the airport, Kumamoto International Airport Co., Ltd. began developing a new terminal building which was planned to withstand strong earthquakes. It was also made to integrates both domestic and international flights. The new terminal building officially opened on March 23, 2023.[6]
