Kiwaki Airfield

Military Demobilization. The airfield ceased all operations following the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II. As an Imperial Japanese Army Air Service facility, it was abandoned and subsequently dismantled as part of the postwar demilitarization of Japan.

The airfield no longer exists. The site has been completely redeveloped and repurposed. The majority of the former airfield grounds are now occupied by the Kunitomi General Sports Park (国富町総合運動公園), which includes a baseball stadium, athletic fields, and other recreational facilities. Surrounding areas have been converted into agricultural land. The original runways and military structures have been removed, and there are no visible remnants of the airfield itself. However, the site's history is preserved through the Kiwaki Special Attack Unit Memorial Tower (木脇特攻隊慰霊塔), a cenotaph erected nearby to honor the pilots who were based there.

Kiwaki Airfield (known in Japanese as 木脇飛行場, Kiwaki Hikōjō) was a significant military airbase for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (IJAAS) during the final years of World War II. Constructed between 1943 and 1944, its primary purpose evolved rapidly. Initially used as a training base for fighter pilots, it was strategically located in Miyazaki Prefecture to defend southern Kyushu. By 1945, its role shifted dramatically, becoming a critical forward sortie base for Tokkōtai (Special Attack units, commonly known as 'kamikaze'). From this airfield, pilots from units such as the 24th Shinbu-tai launched missions in aircraft like the Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa, targeting the US naval fleet during the Battle of Okinawa. Its history is a somber reflection of the desperate final stages of the Pacific War.

None. There are absolutely no plans or prospects for reopening the airfield. The land has been fully and permanently redeveloped for public and agricultural use. The historical nature of the site and its complete conversion into a community sports park make any future aviation-related use infeasible.