Nishihara / Yonabaru Airfield

Military consolidation and redundancy. The airfield was a temporary combat strip built for the invasion of Okinawa. After World War II ended, the US military consolidated its air operations on Okinawa into larger, more permanent bases like Kadena Air Base and Naha Air Base. Smaller, temporary fields like Yonabaru were no longer needed and were subsequently closed and the land was returned to Japanese control for redevelopment.

The site of the former airfield has been completely redeveloped and shows no visible traces of its past use. The area is now a dense urban and suburban part of Nishihara town, consisting of residential neighborhoods, commercial properties, schools, and roads. The land has been fully reclaimed for civilian purposes for decades.

Nishihara / Yonabaru Airfield was a significant US Army Air Forces (USAAF) airfield constructed during the Battle of Okinawa in World War II. Construction began in late April 1945 by US Army Aviation Engineer Battalions. The airfield featured a single coral-surfaced runway and was operational by May 1945. It primarily hosted units of the Seventh Air Force, including the 41st Bombardment Group flying B-25 Mitchell medium bombers and the 318th Fighter Group flying P-47 Thunderbolt fighters. These units conducted missions against Japanese targets in the final months of the war and were staged at Yonabaru in preparation for the planned invasion of mainland Japan (Operation Downfall), which was ultimately cancelled.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening this airfield. The site is fully urbanized, and its original footprint is occupied by extensive civilian infrastructure. The aviation needs of the region are served by Naha Airport (ROAH) for civilian traffic and Kadena Air Base (RODN) and MCAS Futenma (ROTM) for military operations.