Nanao Seaplane Base

Military Decommissioning. The Nanao Seaplane Base was an Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) installation. It ceased all operations following the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II and was officially disbanded with the dissolution of the Japanese imperial military.

The site of the former seaplane base has been completely redeveloped and integrated into the modern Port of Nanao. The specific area at the provided coordinates now consists of industrial port facilities, commercial wharves, and the Nanao Port Bay Side Park (七尾港ベイサイドパーク). There are no visible remnants of the original WWII-era hangars, ramps, or buildings. However, a memorial stone dedicated to the Nanao Naval Air Group has been erected nearby in the Yada-machi area to commemorate the site's history.

The Nanao Seaplane Base was the home of the IJN's Nanao Naval Air Group (七尾海軍航空隊), established on March 15, 1944. Its primary function was to serve as a training center for seaplane reconnaissance pilots during the critical late stages of the war. The base was created to accelerate pilot training as Japan's military situation worsened. The main aircraft operated from the facility was the Mitsubishi F1M reconnaissance seaplane, known by the Allied reporting name 'Pete'. The base had a very short operational life of approximately 17 months and was a target of Allied air attacks in the summer of 1945 before its closure.

There are no known official plans or credible prospects for reopening a seaplane base at this location. The area is now a fully developed and economically important modern seaport and public park. The Noto Peninsula region is served by the conventional land-based Noto Airport (ICAO: RJNW), making a new seaplane base for transport or commercial purposes highly unlikely and economically unviable. The prospect for reopening is considered non-existent.