Tsuchiura Naval Airfield

The airfield was closed following the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II. As a key installation of the Imperial Japanese Navy, its operations ceased with the dissolution of the Japanese military under the terms of the Allied occupation.

The site of the former airfield has been completely redeveloped and is now unrecognizable as an aviation facility. The land is occupied by several major entities:
1. **JGSDF Camp Kasumigaura:** A large portion of the former base is now a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force installation, which includes the JGSDF Ordnance School.
2. **Industrial Zone:** Significant parts of the area are used by heavy industry, most notably large factories and facilities for Hitachi Construction Machinery.
3. **Kanto Railway Depot:** A vehicle and maintenance depot for the Kanto Railway company is located on the former grounds.
4. **Memorials:** The historical importance of the site is preserved through the nearby Yokaren Peace Memorial Museum (予科練平和記念館), which is dedicated to the memory of the young naval flight trainees who were based there.

Tsuchiura Naval Airfield, also known as Kasumigaura Air Field, was one of the most important air bases for the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS). Established on November 1, 1922, on the shores of Lake Kasumigaura, it was a pioneering naval aviation facility. Its primary role was as a major training center for seaplane and flying boat pilots, observers, and crew. Thousands of naval aviators who served in the Pacific War received their initial or advanced training here.

A landmark event in its history was the visit of the German airship LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin in August 1929 during its record-setting round-the-world flight. The airfield was the official stop in Japan, and a massive hangar was constructed specifically to house the airship, highlighting the base's international prominence in the interwar period. Throughout WWII, it remained a vital training and testing hub for a wide variety of aircraft, including the Yokosuka K5Y and Mitsubishi F1M. The unofficial ICAO code 'JP-1205' is likely a modern designation used in flight simulator databases or historical archives, as the airfield closed before the modern ICAO system was fully implemented.

None. There are absolutely no plans or prospects for reopening the Tsuchiura Naval Airfield. The site has been comprehensively redeveloped for critical military, industrial, and infrastructure purposes for over 75 years. There is no remaining aviation infrastructure, such as runways or hangars (the Zeppelin hangar was dismantled long ago), making any potential conversion back to an airport physically and economically impossible.