Kabayama Airfield

Military Reorganization. The airfield, officially known as Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Ominato Air Base, was closed following the disbandment of the Ominato Air Group. Its functions and assets were consolidated and transferred to the larger JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base as part of a nationwide force restructuring and efficiency plan. The closure was a strategic military decision, not due to economic failure or a specific incident.

The site has been completely repurposed and is no longer an aviation facility. A large portion of the former runway, taxiways, and apron has been converted into the 'Eurus Mutsu Solar Park', a large-scale photovoltaic power plant. While the outline of the runway is still visible from satellite imagery, it is now covered by thousands of solar panels. The land was transferred from the Ministry of Defense for redevelopment into a renewable energy project.

The airfield has significant military history. It was originally established during World War II by the Imperial Japanese Navy as part of the Ominato Guard District, a major naval base responsible for defending the critical Tsugaru Strait. After the war, it was re-established as JMSDF Ominato Air Base. During the Cold War, it was a vital outpost for maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare (ASW), monitoring the movements of the Soviet Pacific Fleet through the strait. The base was home to the JMSDF Ominato Air Group, which operated various aircraft, most notably anti-submarine helicopters such as the HSS-2B Sea King. The name 'Kabayama Airfield' and the ICAO code 'JP-1192' are informal identifiers used in civilian aviation databases, while its official designation was JMSDF Ominato Air Base.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening the site as an airfield. The permanent and extensive construction of the solar farm on the core aviation infrastructure makes a return to aviation use infeasible. The land has been fundamentally and permanently redeveloped for energy production.