Hiroshima Airport (IATA: HIJ, ICAO: RJOA) is an airport in the city of Mihara, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. Located 50 km (31 mi) east of Hiroshima, it is the largest airport in the Chūgoku region. The New Hiroshima Airport was opened for public use in 1993 as a replacement for the old Hiroshima Airport, which was renamed Hiroshima-Nishi Airport. The old airport was located in a more central waterfront location, but was too small to handle widebody aircraft and could not be expanded. In 1994, the New Hiroshima Airport was renamed to just Hiroshima Airport.