The original Tanegashima Airport was opened on 27 July 1962, at a site approximately 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) southeast of the present airport. Although its runway was extended from 1,000 m (3,300 ft) to 1,500 m (4,900 ft) in 1973, it was not suitable to handle jet aircraft, and was closed on 16 March 2006, the day that the New Tanegashima Airport, with a 2,000 m (6,600 ft) runway, was opened.
