Matsudo Airfield

Military Conversion. The site was not closed in the traditional sense but was repurposed. After being returned to Japanese control, it was converted from an active air base into a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) garrison, primarily housing the JGSDF Engineer School. The runway and aviation facilities were subsequently removed to accommodate ground force training and infrastructure.

The site is an active military installation known as JGSDF Camp Matsudo (陸上自衛隊松戸駐屯地). It is home to several units, most notably the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Engineer School. The former runways and aviation infrastructure have been completely replaced by barracks, training grounds, administrative buildings, and residential quarters for JSDF personnel. The outline of the former airfield can still be partially discerned from the layout of the base and surrounding roads.

Matsudo Airfield has significant military history. It was established in 1938 by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (IJAAS) as a key air defense base for Tokyo. During World War II, it was home to fighter units, such as the 53rd Sentai, tasked with intercepting Allied bombers, particularly B-29s. After the war, it was occupied by U.S. forces and operated as Matsudo Air Base. It was an important logistical and transport hub for the U.S. Air Force during the post-war period and the Korean War before being returned to Japan in 1955.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening Matsudo Airfield. The site is a vital and active military base located in a densely populated urban area. Re-establishing an airfield would require the relocation of a major JGSDF school and the demolition of extensive infrastructure, which is logistically and politically infeasible.