Mito South Airfield

Military Conversion and Post-WWII Reorganization. The airfield ceased its original function with the surrender of Japan and the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Army at the end of World War II. The site was subsequently taken over by Allied occupation forces and later transferred to the Japan Self-Defense Forces for use as a ground base, not an active airfield.

The site of the former airfield is now entirely occupied by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) as Camp Mito (陸上自衛隊水戸駐屯地). The original runways and aviation facilities have been removed and replaced with barracks, administrative buildings, training grounds, and vehicle depots. It is a major JGSDF installation, home to the JGSDF Engineer School and other facility and engineering units. The area is an active military base and is not accessible to the public.

Mito South Airfield was a highly significant military installation for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (IJAAF) during World War II. Established around 1938-1940, its primary and most famous role was hosting the Mito Army Flying School (陸軍水戸飛行学校, Rikugun Mito Hikō Gakkō). This school was one of the principal training centers for bomber pilots and crews in the IJAAF, responsible for training a large number of personnel who served in the Pacific War. As the war progressed and Japan's situation became more desperate, the base was also used for forming and launching Special Attack Units (kamikaze missions). Its function was purely military; it never handled commercial or civilian operations.

None. There are no plans or prospects for reopening the site as an airport. It is a critical and active military installation for the JGSDF. Furthermore, the civilian aviation needs of the Ibaraki Prefecture are served by the nearby Ibaraki Airport (IBR), which operates as a joint-use facility with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's Hyakuri Air Base.