or , is a third class airport located 3.8 NM southeast of Monbetsu

Monbetsu, Hokkaido

-External links:* *...

, a city in the Hokkaidō prefecture

Prefectures of Japan

The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 subnational jurisdictions: one "metropolis" , Tokyo; one "circuit" , Hokkaidō; two urban prefectures , Osaka and Kyoto; and 43 other prefectures . In Japanese, they are commonly referred to as...

 of Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

.

MBE is the newest 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...

: it opened in November 1999. The airport was originally used for general aviation

General aviation

General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...

 flights. Flights were transferred from the original Monbetsu Airport, which was located closer to the city. Air Nippon

Air Nippon

, is a regional airline based in the Shiodome City Center complex in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. A wholly owned subsidiary of All Nippon Airways , it mainly operates short routes and flights to isolated islands in support of ANA's domestic services...

 inaugurated daily service to New Chitose Airport

New Chitose Airport

, is an airport located south southeast of Chitose and Tomakomai, Hokkaidō, Japan, serving the Sapporo metropolitan area. By land area, it is the largest airport in Hokkaidō....

 outside Sapporo that year, and added flights to Tokyo International Airport

Tokyo International Airport

, commonly known as , is one of the two primary airports that serve the Greater Tokyo Area in Japan. It is located in Ōta, Tokyo, south of Tokyo Station....

 in 2000. The Sapporo service was moved to Okadama Airport

Okadama Airport

is an airport located in Okadamachō, Higashi-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, north of the city center of Sapporo. Its scheduled airline service is limited to turboprop flights to other cities in Hokkaidō: larger aircraft use New Chitose Airport, south of the city...

 in 2001 and discontinued entirely in 2003.

Monbetsu now has only one daily flight to Tokyo, operated by All Nippon Airways

All Nippon Airways

, also known as or ANA, is one of the largest airlines in Japan. It is headquartered at the Shiodome City Center in the Shiodome area in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It operates services to 49 destinations in Japan and 35 international routes and employed over 14,000 employees as of May 2009...

. Hokkaido Air System

Hokkaido Air System

, or HAC, is an airline with its headquarters on the property of Okadama Airport in Okadamachō, Higashi-ku, Sapporo. It operates scheduled domestic services in Hokkaidō. Its main base of operations is Okadama Airport.- History :...

 also runs a daily service to New Chitose Airport

New Chitose Airport

, is an airport located south southeast of Chitose and Tomakomai, Hokkaidō, Japan, serving the Sapporo metropolitan area. By land area, it is the largest airport in Hokkaidō....

 between July and November.

The airport is 15 minutes from the city center and accessible by bus from the Monbetsu Bus Terminal.

Airlines and destinations

External links

Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport at Monbetsu City website

• Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport terminal maps at Japan Airlines airport guide