Mineyama Airfield

The airfield was a military facility of the Imperial Japanese Army that was under construction during the final phase of World War II. Its development was halted and the site was abandoned following the surrender of Japan, which officially ended the war. Its military purpose became obsolete with the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese military.

The site of the former airfield has been completely redeveloped and shows no visible remnants of a runway or aviation facilities. After the war, the land was returned to civilian use and is now primarily utilized for agriculture, consisting largely of rice paddies. Some parts of the area are also used for light industrial or commercial purposes. To preserve its history, a stone monument and an information plaque have been erected near the site, detailing the airfield's wartime purpose and commemorating the local citizens and students who were mobilized for its construction.

Mineyama Airfield was a secret military airfield constructed by the Imperial Japanese Army between 1944 and 1945. Its primary strategic purpose was to serve as a hidden base for training and launching 'Special Attack' (Tokkōtai, or Kamikaze) units to defend the Japanese mainland against the anticipated Allied invasion (Operation Downfall). The construction was a rushed effort that relied heavily on mobilized labor from the local population, including students from nearby schools. While some training flights with aircraft like the Type 99 Assault Plane (Ki-51) were reportedly conducted, the airfield never became fully operational for its intended combat role before the war concluded. It stands as a historical relic of Japan's desperate, last-ditch defense preparations.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Mineyama Airfield. The land has been fully repurposed for agriculture and other civilian uses for over 75 years, and its original infrastructure is completely gone. Its significance today is purely historical, and there is no economic or strategic incentive to re-establish it as an aviation facility.