[6] The airport was substantially renovated and the runway extended in 1990, coinciding with the closure of the nearby JNR Shibetsu Line in 1989.

[2] In 2011, the Hokkaido government announced that landing fees would be waived for international charter flights using the airport in an attempt to lure more overseas tourists to the region.

Aurora operated a Dash 8 charter flight from Nakashibetsu to Iturup and Kunashir in August 2019.

[8] In October 2020, amid international travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Japanese government arranged five sightseeing flights from Nakashibetsu to carry former residents over the islands without landing.

[2][11] The terminal contains a restaurant, two shops, and a rooftop observation deck with views of the nearby Shiretoko Peninsula.