Bansei Airfield

Military Demobilization. The airfield was a purpose-built military base for World War II operations. It ceased to function as an airfield with the surrender of Japan and the end of the war.

The site of the former airfield has been transformed into a place of peace and remembrance. The main use is the 'Bansei Tokkō Peace Museum' (万世特攻平和祈念館), which stands on the grounds and is dedicated to preserving the history of the base and the stories of the pilots who died. The museum displays a restored Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter, personal letters, and artifacts. Surrounding the museum is the Kinpou Mansei Kinen (Memorial) Park. A portion of the original concrete runway is preserved as a memorial within the park. The wider area is also famous for hosting the annual 'Fukiagehama Sand and Flower Festa', a large sand sculpture festival.

Bansei Airfield was a secret airbase constructed in the final year of World War II by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force. Its primary and most somber significance was its role as a major launch point for 'tokkō' (Special Attack Unit), or 'kamikaze', missions during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. Due to its location on the Satsuma Peninsula, it was one of the closest airfields to Okinawa, making it a critical final staging base. Over 200 pilots and airmen from various units departed from Bansei on one-way missions from which they never returned. The airfield was built hastily, largely by local residents and mobilized students. The ICAO code 'JP-2535' is a non-standard, modern identifier used in some databases; it was never assigned an official ICAO or IATA code during its operational period as it was a secret military installation, not a civilian airport.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the site as an active airfield. Its current status as a historical museum, memorial, and public park is considered its permanent and final purpose, dedicated to promoting peace and remembering the tragic history of the war.