Kanoya Air Base

Kanoya Air Field (RJFY), also known as Kanoya Air Base, is a military aerodrome operated by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). It is situated 2.8 km southwest of Kanoya city in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. The base has two concrete runways: 08R/26L, which is 2,250 meters long and equipped with ILS, and 08L/26R, measuring 1,200 meters. The elevation of the airfield is 65 meters above mean sea level.

The history of the base dates back to April 1, 1936, with the formation of the Kanoya Air Group, an Imperial Japanese Navy medium bomber unit. This group was initially equipped with Mitsubishi G3M bombers and later with Mitsubishi G4M bombers, participating in the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific War. Following the Battle of Okinawa, Kanoya became a primary base for kamikaze operations. After World War II, the United States Fifth Air Force controlled the base from September 1945 to November 1948.

On December 1, 1950, the National Police Reserve established a garrison at Kanoya. The base was initially shared by ground and naval forces until November 21, 1955, when it came under the exclusive control of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Historically, it hosted the 1st Air Group, Kanoya Educational Aviation Group, and Kanoya Aircraft Workshop. In July 2018, it was announced that the base would be utilized by the United States Marine Corps for KC-130 aerial tanker operations. A U-125 aircraft crash occurred near the base on April 6, 2016, resulting in six fatalities. The Kanoya Air Base Museum is located at the base.