Nakatsu Airfield

Economic reasons and industrial redevelopment. The land was acquired for the construction of the Daihatsu Auto Body Kyushu (now Daihatsu Kyushu Co., Ltd.) Oita (Nakatsu) Plant, a major automobile manufacturing facility that required the large, flat area provided by the former airfield.

The site of the former airfield is now completely occupied by the Daihatsu Kyushu Co., Ltd. Oita (Nakatsu) Plant 1. This is a massive, modern automobile manufacturing factory that is a key industrial and economic hub for the region. There are no visible remnants of the original runways or airfield facilities.

The airfield has a dual history. It was originally constructed in 1943 as the Nakatsu Army Airfield (中津陸軍飛行場) for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service during World War II. Its primary role was as a training base for pilots, including those assigned to special attack units (Kamikaze). After the war and the dissolution of the Imperial Army, the airfield was demilitarized. Subsequently, a portion of the site was repurposed and operated as a private civilian airfield, known as Nakatsu Airfield. In this capacity, it handled general aviation, including light aircraft and agricultural aviation services like crop dusting, until its final closure in 1991.

None. The land has been fully and permanently redeveloped into a major industrial zone. Given the scale and economic importance of the Daihatsu plant, there are no plans, discussions, or prospects for the airfield to be reopened.