Naha Air Base

Naha Air Base is a joint-use military and civil aviation facility located 4 km west of Naha in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The installation originated in 1933 as Oroku Aerodrome, an Imperial Japanese Navy airfield. United States forces took control of the site in 1945 and renamed it Naha Airport. Following the return of Okinawa to Japanese sovereignty in 1972, the facility was transferred from United States military control to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) in 1982.

The JASDF operates the base as a dual-use installation alongside commercial aviation activities. The facility houses multiple JASDF units, including those operating CH-47 Chinook helicopters. It serves as a secondary airfield for regional military and government operations while functioning as the primary passenger and cargo terminal for Okinawa Prefecture.

The infrastructure includes a cargo terminal established in 2009 and a series of passenger terminal expansions completed between 2014 and 2019. A six-lane under-bay tunnel, completed in 2011, connects the airfield with Naha Port and nearby free trade zones. A second runway commenced operations on March 26, 2020.

Recent operational history includes a June 2015 incident in which a JASDF CH-47 Chinook crossed a departure path without clearance, resulting in an aborted takeoff by a commercial aircraft. The facility remains a central point for both Japan Air Self-Defense Force activities and regional commercial logistics.