Kunitachi Airfield

Military Conversion and Handover. The facility, then known as Tachikawa Air Base, was closed as a United States Air Force installation and officially returned to the Japanese government as part of the Kanto Plain Consolidation Plan. It was not closed due to economic reasons or an accident but was immediately repurposed for use by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF).

The site is currently an active military and disaster-response facility. It is known as **JGSDF Camp Tachikawa**, and the airfield itself is **Tachikawa Airfield (ICAO: RJTC)**. It serves as a primary base for JGSDF helicopter units and is designated as a crucial wide-area disaster relief base for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, housing aircraft and personnel from the Tokyo Fire Department and Japan Coast Guard for emergency response. A large portion of the former base grounds was redeveloped into the expansive **Showa Kinen Park**, a national government park that opened in 1983.

The site has major historical importance.
1. **Imperial Japanese Army (1922-1945):** Established in 1922, it was a primary airfield for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service and a major center for aviation research, development, and manufacturing (Tachikawa Aircraft Company).
2. **US Air Force (1945-1977):** After World War II, it became Tachikawa Air Base, a critical USAF logistical and transport hub for the Pacific. It was a key base for the Military Air Transport Service (MATS) and played a vital role in supporting US operations during the Korean War and the Vietnam War, moving vast amounts of cargo, personnel, and medical evacuees.
3. **Operations:** When active as a US base, it handled large transport aircraft, including the C-54 Skymaster, C-119 Flying Boxcar, C-124 Globemaster II, and C-130 Hercules.

None. The airfield is an active, essential military and emergency services base for the Japanese government and the Tokyo metropolitan area. There are no plans or prospects for it to be reopened for public commercial or general aviation use.