Kawasebaru Airfield

The airfield was closed due to military decommissioning. As an Imperial Japanese Navy airbase, it ceased all operations following the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II. The facility was dismantled as part of the post-war demilitarization of Japan and was never converted for civilian use.

After the war, the site was completely demilitarized and the land was repurposed for civilian use, primarily agriculture. In recent years, a large portion of the former airfield has been developed into one of Japan's largest photovoltaic power stations, the 'Kawaminami Sonraku Solar Power Plant'. The faint, ghostly outlines of the original crisscrossing runways can still be discerned on satellite imagery amidst the solar panels and surrounding farmland. A memorial and a small museum (Kawaminami-chō Peace Museum) are located nearby to honor the memory of the pilots who were based there, with a particular focus on the members of the Special Attack Units.

The airfield, known historically as 唐瀬原飛行場 (Karasebaru Airfield), was a major airbase for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II, with construction beginning around 1943. Its primary function was as a training and operational base for naval aviators. The airfield holds significant historical importance due to its role as a major sortie base for Kamikaze (Special Attack Unit) missions during the final stages of the war, particularly for the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. Many pilots from the 'Kikusui' (Floating Chrysanthemum) units departed from Karasebaru on their final one-way missions. Due to its strategic importance, the base was a target for Allied bombing raids by B-29s.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Kawasebaru Airfield. The land has been entirely and permanently repurposed for agriculture and large-scale renewable energy generation. The original aviation infrastructure was removed decades ago, and there is no economic, logistical, or strategic incentive for its revival as an airport.