Taisho Army Airfield

The airfield ceased operations as an Imperial Japanese Army facility following the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II. The Imperial Japanese Army was dissolved, and the base was subsequently occupied by Allied forces before being repurposed. It was not closed due to economic reasons or an accident, but as a direct result of the war's conclusion and the demilitarization of Japan.

The site was never fully abandoned. After WWII, it was used by US occupation forces and later returned to Japanese control. Today, the site is occupied by the active and operational **Yao Airport (ICAO: RJOY)**. It is a dual-use facility, serving as a public airport for general aviation, flight training, and news media helicopters. Concurrently, it hosts **JGSDF Camp Yao**, a major base for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's aviation units, including the Middle Army Aviation Group. The original military purpose of the site continues in a modern context under the JGSDF.

Originally established in 1938 as Hanshin Army Airfield (阪神陸軍飛行場), it was a major base for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service during World War II. Also known as Taishō Airfield (大正飛行場), it was strategically vital for the air defense of the critical Osaka-Kobe industrial region. The airfield housed several fighter units (Sentai), most notably the 246th Sentai, which operated advanced Kawasaki Ki-61 'Hien' fighters. These units were tasked with intercepting Allied bombing raids, particularly the B-29 Superfortress attacks targeting Japanese cities. Its role was purely military, serving as a key launch point for homeland defense interceptors until the final days of the war.

Not applicable. The original entity, Taisho Army Airfield of the Imperial Japanese Army, cannot be reopened as the military force it served was dissolved in 1945. The physical site itself was repurposed and has remained continuously active as the modern Yao Airport (RJOY) and JGSDF Camp Yao. There are no plans for it to close or to revert to its historical name or function.