Minami Torishima Airbase (南鳥島航空基地, Minami Torishima Kōkūkichi) is a one runway airport serving the island of Minami Torishima, Japan. The aerodrome used to be a military airstrip and according to the Japanese Aeronautical Information Service, is still operated by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.[1]

View of original airstrip in 1945

The airstrip existence dates to 1935 when the Imperial Japanese Navy built one to serve a meteorological station. The original airfield consisted of two airstrips (cleared area of 4000' and 4500', but only shorter sections used as landing area) in a v-shaped formation.[2]

The airstrips facilities were damaged by US bombing of the island during World War II,[3] and was re-built with a single runway by the United States Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 9 in 1964.[4] Until 1993, the airstrip was used and controlled by the United States Coast Guard to service the nearby LORAN-C station. In 2009 the airstrip was transferred to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force which currently retains control of the airstrip and is used by the Japan Meteorological Agency to service and staff their operations on the island.

References

  1. ^ a b AIS Japan Archived 2016-05-17 at the Portuguese Web Archive
  2. ^ http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/USN-CN-Raids/maps/USN-CN-Raids-10.jpg Drawing of island and original airstrip c.1940s
  3. ^ "USN Combat Narrative: Early Raids in the Pacific Ocean".
  4. ^ NMCB 9 Cruisebook, 1964, p. 11/151, Seabee Museum, Port Hueneme, Ca