, is a

Japan Air Self-Defense Force The , , also referred to as the Japanese Air Force, is the Aerial warfare, air and space warfare, space branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace, other air and space operations, cyberwarfare and ...

(JASDF) and

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

(USAF) base in the Tama Area, or

Western Tokyo Western Tokyo, known as the , or locally, in the Tokyo Metropolis consists of 30 ordinary municipalities ( cities (市 shi), towns (町 machi) and one village (村 mura)), unlike the eastern part which consists of 23 special wards. Before i ...

. It occupies portions of Akishima, Fussa, Hamura, Mizuho, Musashimurayama, and

Tachikawa file:Autumn colors in Showa memorial park.jpg, 250px, Showa Memorial Park is a Cities of Japan, city located in the western Tokyo, western portion of the Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 184,383 in 93,428 househ ...

. The base houses 14,000 personnel. It occupies a total area of and has a runway. It features the JASDF Air Defense Command Headquarters (ADC headquarters) since 26 March 2012. The headquarters of

United States Forces Japan is a subordinate Unified combatant command, unified command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command. It was activated at Fuchū Air Base (Tokyo), Fuchū Air Station in Tokyo, Japan, on 1 July 1957 to replace the Far East Command (United State ...

is also located there. Other base facilities are the broadcast center for the

American Forces Network The American Forces Network (AFN) is a government television and radio broadcast service the United States Armed Forces provides to soldiers stationed or assigned overseas, and is headquartered at Fort Meade in Maryland. AFN comprises two sub ...

Tokyo radio service and a detachment of

Pacific Air Forces The Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PAC ...

' Band of the Pacific.

History

Tama Airfield

The facility which houses Yokota Air Base was originally constructed by the

Imperial Japanese Army The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA; , ''Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun'', "Army of the Greater Japanese Empire") was the principal ground force of the Empire of Japan from 1871 to 1945. It played a central role in Japan’s rapid modernization during th ...

(IJA) in 1940 as Tama Airfield, and used as a flight test center. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Yokota became the center of Japanese Army Air Forces flight test activities and the base was the site of the first meeting between Japanese and Italian wartime allies. Tama was first identified by

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

(USAAF) in November 1944 by a 3rd Reconnaissance Squadron F-13 Superfortress photo-reconnaissance aircraft, flying from

Tinian Tinian () is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Together with uninhabited neighboring Aguiguan, it forms Tinian Municipality, one of the four constituent municipalities of the Northern ...

in the

Mariana Islands The Mariana Islands ( ; ), also simply the Marianas, are a crescent-shaped archipelago comprising the summits of fifteen longitudinally oriented, mostly dormant volcanic mountains in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, between the 12th and 21st pa ...

. It was identified as being associated with the aircraft manufacturing plant belonging to

Nakajima Aircraft Company The was a prominent Japanese aircraft manufacturer and aviation engine manufacturer throughout World War II. It continues as the car and aircraft manufacturer Subaru Corporation, Subaru. History The Nakajima Aircraft company was Japan's first ...

in the nearby town (now city) of Musashino. Along with

Tachikawa Air Base is an aerodrome, airfield in the city of Tachikawa, Tokyo, Tachikawa, in the western part of Tokyo, Japan. Currently under the administration of the Ministry of Defense (Japan), Ministry of Defense, it has also served as a civilian airport with ...

to the east and the factory of

Showa Aircraft Industry is a Japanese company. Its headquarters are at Akishima-shi, Tokyo Prefecture, a region of Tokyo Metropolis. It was established in 1937 as a manufacturer of military aircraft in Akishima-shi. In World War II it was one of two companies manufact ...

to the south, it was compared to the aircraft development complex of the USAAF Wright-Patterson Field in Ohio. According to the USAAF intelligence at the time, the two bases conducted all IJA flight testing. In the spring of 1945,

XXI Bomber Command The XXI Bomber Command was a unit of the Twentieth Air Force in the Mariana Islands for strategic bombing during World War II. The command was established at Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Kansas on 1 March 1944. After a period of organization and ...

attacked the base eight times along with the aircraft manufacturing plant, but each time heavy clouds forced the bombers to attack secondary targets. The Nakajima plant was finally attacked in April 1945, but the Tama airfield never was bombed.

Postwar years

With the

Surrender of Japan The surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II was Hirohito surrender broadcast, announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally Japanese Instrument of Surrender, signed on 2 September 1945, End of World War II in Asia, ending ...

on 2 September 1945, a detachment of the United States Army 1st Cavalry Division arrived at the base on 4 September. The airfield's buildings were largely intact, and some 280 of the IJA's most modern aircraft were discovered in hangars. The 1st Cavalry named the facility Fussa Army Airfield, then at the end of September renamed it Yokota Army Airfield after a nearby village (now incorporated in Musashimurayama) the name of which appeared on a 1944 US map. The name was to have been changed to Wilkins Army Air Base (WAAB) after

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

recipient Raymond "Ray" Wilkins, but orders for this never arrived and it remained under the name Yokota Army Airfield until the USAAF became the USAF in 1947, at which point it became Yokota Air Base. Some metal manhole covers stamped "WAAB" remain in use around the base as of 2017. The initial USAAF use for the base was for airlift operations when the 2d Combat Cargo Group arrived with four

C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II. During the war the C-47 was used for troo ...

squadrons. When the old runway deteriorated under heavy usage, the runway was repaired and Yokota supported operations of the

A-26 Invader The Douglas A-26 Invader (designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965) is an American twin-engined light bomber and ground attack aircraft. Built by Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II, the Invader also saw service during several major Col ...

-equipped 3d Bombardment Group by August 1946. Additional construction during the 1940s and 1950s was completed and the base reached its current size around 1960. On the occasion of extension, the course of Hachiko Line and National Route 16 was changed, and

Itsukaichi Kaidō is the historic and current main road between former Itsukaichi, Tokyo, Itsukaichi (now Akiruno, Tokyo, Akiruno) and Suginami in Tokyo's central suburbs.20th Combat Mapping Group (October 1945 – April 1946) ( F-7 Liberator) * 8th Reconnaissance Group (June 1946 – October 1947) (F-7) * 71st Reconnaissance Group (February 1947 – April 1949) ( RB-17, RB-29, RF-51, RF-61 and RF-80) These units performed photographic reconnaissance and mapping of Japan and

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

. * 6th Night Fighter Squadron (1946–47) ( P-61A/B)
Inactivated and personnel, mission and equipment transferred to 339th Fighter Squadron ( 347th Fighter Group) with F-82F/G Twin Mustangs at Nagoya Air Base. * 82nd Photo Reconnaissance Squadron (1947–48) ( FP-80) * 3d Emergency Rescue Squadron (July 1947 – April 1950) ( SB-17G)
Flew modified B-17G bombers equipped with a 27-foot boat (termed the A-1) under their bellies that could be dropped by parachute and contained enough food, water, and clothing for twelve survivors to last for about twenty days in the ocean.

Korean War

During the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

, Yokota was used for combat missions over North and South Korea. Known units based there were: *Fighter units ** 27th Fighter-Escort Wing (November – December 1950)
Flew F-84E Thunderjets on armed reconnaissance, interdiction, fighter escort, and close air support missions. ** 35th Fighter-Interceptor Wing (April - August 1950)
Flew F-80Cs on air defense missions. *** 339th Fighter Squadron (April – August 1950)
Attached to 35th Fighter-Interceptor Wing and flew F-82F/G Twin Mustang missions over South Korea during the first few months of hostilities. *Bombardment units **

92d Bombardment Group 9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding . Evolution of the Hindu–Arabic digit Circa 300 BC, as part of the Brahmi numerals, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bot ...

( 325th, 326th and 327th Bombardment Squadrons) (July – October 1950)
Deployed squadrons from Spokane Army Airfield,

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

. Flew B-29 Bombing missions over North Korea. ** 98th Bombardment Wing ( 343d, 344th and 345th Bomb Squadrons) (August 1950 – July 1954)
Group, then Wing deployed from Spokane Army Airfield. Flew B-29 Bombing missions over North Korea. Two days after arriving at Yokota, the squadrons conducted a bomb mission against marshalling yards at

Pyongyang Pyongyang () is the Capital city, capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is sometimes labeled as the "Capital of the Revolution" (). Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. Accordi ...

, North Korea. The 98th BG engaged primarily in interdiction of enemy communications centers but also supported UN ground forces. Interdiction targets included marshalling yards, oil centers, rail facilities, bridges, roads, troop concentrations, airfields, and military installations. *Reconnaissance units ** 31st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron Photographic (July–August 1950)
Flew combat missions to provide FEAF (Far East Air Forces) Bomber Command with target and bomb-damage assessment photography. ** 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Medium, Photographic (December 1950 – December 1954)
Assigned to 407th Strategic Fighter Wing (1953–54)
Absorbed the personnel and resources of the 31st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron in Japan. Using RB-29, RB-45, RB-50 and RB-36 aircraft, it performed target and bomb-damage assessment photo and visual reconnaissance for FEAF Bomber Command, flew other special photographic missions, and conducted electronic "ferret" reconnaissance to determine frequency, location, and other characteristics of enemy ground radar. The squadron also performed shipping surveillance over the

Sea of Japan The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it ...

near the

Siberia Siberia ( ; , ) is an extensive geographical region comprising all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has formed a part of the sovereign territory of Russia and its predecessor states ...

n coast and leaflet drops over North Korea. Beginning in late 1952, rotating aircrews of the Philippine-based 581st Air Resupply and Communications Wing augmented the 91st SRS in flying leaflet missions. ** 512th Bombardment Squadron (January – August 1950)
Operated the B/RB/WB-29 aircraft and flew weather reconnaissance missions. ** 56th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (September 1951 – July 1972)
Replaced the 512th Bomb Squadron in their weather reconnaissance mission. They operated WB-29, WB-50, WC-135B and RB-57 aircraft used to sample airborne nuclear debris as well as weather patterns in the Pacific.

Cold War

With the Korean War reaching an armistice in July 1953, Yokota Air Base returned to a peacetime

Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

status. Two major wings were stationed at the base during the 1950s, the 67th Reconnaissance Wing (1956–60) flying RF-80s, RF-84s and lastly RF-101s. The 35th Fighter-Interceptor Wing (1954–57) flew F-86 Sabres from the base. A

Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Lang ...

(TAC) air refueling unit, the 421st Air Refueling Squadron flew KB-29s, and later KB-50Js from Yokota from 1953 to 1965. All of these units were under the command of the 41st Air Division. The 35th TFW was reassigned in 1957 and the 67th TRW in 1960. Defense budget restrictions in the late 1950s caused several PACAF wings based in Japan to be reassigned or inactivated. These tactical fighter units were replaced by the B-57 equipped 3rd Bombardment Wing where it trained in bombardment, reconnaissance and aerial refueling operations. The

Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for air defense of the continental United States. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air De ...

40th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (December 1961 – May 1962) equipped with the

F-102 Delta Dagger The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger is an interceptor aircraft designed and produced by the American aircraft manufacturer Convair. A member of the Century Series, the F-102 was the first operational supersonic interceptor and delta-wing fighter op ...

performing an air defense mission. The 6102d Air Base Wing assumed host unit status for the base, being replaced by the 441st Combat Support Group in 1964. Yokota base housing

The

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

resulted in an increased combat and airlift aircraft presence at the base. Yokota was used for ferrying B-52 Stratofortresses to Southeast Asia along with being a base for US-based deployed

F-105 Thunderchief The Republic F-105 Thunderchief is an American fighter-bomber that served with the United States Air Force from 1958 to 1984. Capable of Mach 2, it conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War. It ...

35th, 36th and 80th Tactical Fighter Squadrons. The 610th Military Airlift Support Squadron (1966–78) was created by

Military Airlift Command The Military Airlift Command (MAC) is an inactive United States Air Force major command (MAJCOM) that was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Established on 1 January 1966, MAC was the primary strategic airlift organization of ...

(MAC) to service the large increase in transiting airlift. The 65th Military Airlift Support Group (1969–71) was a headquarters organization for MAC airlift support squadrons in the Pacific and Far East. The F-105 squadrons deployed frequently to USAF-operated bases in

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

to fly combat missions over

North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...

and

South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered Diplomatic recognition, international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the ...

, and to South Korea for alert missions. Initially the fighter squadrons were under the command of the 41st Air Division, but was reassigned shortly after to the 6441st Tactical Fighter Wing, activated in April 1965 to control the F-105 squadrons after their parent organization, the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, relocated to

George Air Force Base George Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, 8 miles northwest, of central Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California. Established by the United States Army Air C ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

to become an

F-4 Phantom II The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber that was developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bower ...

unit. With the reassignment of the

347th Fighter Wing The 347th Rescue Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command, stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. It was inactivated on 1 October 2006. History : ''For additional ...

to Yokota in 1968, the 347th assumed responsibility for all tactical fighters until its reassignment to

Kunsan Air Base Kunsan K-8 Air Base () is a United States Air Force base located at Gunsan Airport, on the west coast of the Korean peninsula bordered by the Yellow Sea. It is located in the town of Gunsan (also romanized as Kunsan), about south of Seoul. Kun ...

, South Korea in March 1971. In 1971, all combat squadrons were transferred to Kadena and

Misawa Air Base is an air base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), List of United States Air Force installations, the United States Air Force, and the United States Navy located in Misawa, Aomori, Misawa, Aomori Prefecture, Aomori, in the northern p ...

and Yokota became a non-flying station hosted by the 475th Air Base Wing. The 475th had no numbered flying squadrons, but operated a few T-39 Saberliners and

UH-1 The Bell UH-1 Iroquois (nicknamed "Huey") is a utility military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter. It is the first member of the prolific Bell Huey family, Huey family, as well as the first turb ...

helicopters, along with supporting transient MAC cargo and passenger aircraft. Assigned flying squadrons returned to Yokota in 1975 when the 345th Tactical Airlift Squadron was assigned with its C-130Es. Headquarters,

Fifth Air Force The Fifth Air Force (5 AF) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It is the U.S. Air Force's oldest continuously serving Numbered Air Force. The organ ...

was transferred to Yokota on 11 November 1974 from Fuchū Air Base, Japan.

Post-Cold War

In 2005, the Japanese government announced that the headquarters of the

Air Defense Command would be moved to Yokota. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has advocated opening Yokota to civilian flights as a method of relieving traffic at

Haneda , also known as and sometimes abbreviated to ''Tokyo-Haneda'', is the busier of the two international airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area, the other one being Narita International Airport (NRT). It serves as the primary domestic base of J ...

and

Narita Airport , also known as Tokyo-Narita International Airport or simply Narita Airport, formerly and originally known as , is the secondary international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area, the only other one being Haneda Airport (HND). It is about e ...

. Governor

Shintaro Ishihara was a Japanese politician and writer, who served as the Governor of Tokyo Metropolis, Governor of Tokyo from 1999 to 2012. Being the former leader of the Far-right politics, radical right Sunrise Party, later merged with Toru Hashimoto's Japan ...

raised the joint-use proposal during the 2003 gubernatorial election, and Governor Naoki Inose made comments in 2013 that suggested joint use as a possible solution to cope with visitor demand during the

2020 Summer Olympics The officially the and officially branded as were an international multi-sport event that was held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some of the preliminary sporting events beginning on 21 July 2021. Tokyo ...

in Tokyo. A broad agreement on civil-military use of the base was agreed on in 2005. In November 2009, the base was attacked by Kakurōkyō members using improvised mortar barrages. YokotaTomodachi

In April 2010 Colonel Frank Eppich, the USAF commander of base, banned screenings of the film '' The Cove'' at the base theater. A base spokesman said that ''The Cove'' was banned because using a base venue to display the film could be seen as an endorsement of the film. The spokesman added, "We have a lot of issues with Japan... and anything done on an American base would be seen as an approval of that event." Personnel and aircraft from the base assisted with

Operation Tomodachi was a United States Armed Forces (especially United States Forces Japan, U.S. Forces Japan) assistance operation to support Japan in Emergency management, disaster relief following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The operation took pl ...

following and during the March

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami On 11 March 2011, at 14:46:24 Japan Standard Time, JST (05:46:24 UTC), a 9.0–9.1 Submarine earthquake, undersea megathrust earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Oshika Peninsula of the Tōhoku region. It lasted approx ...

and

Fukushima I nuclear accidents The Fukushima nuclear accident was a major nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ōkuma, Fukushima, Japan, which began on 11 March 2011. The cause of the accident was the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which ...

. The base also served as an important hub for airlifted assistance during the disaster recovery efforts. During the crisis, around 600 American family members voluntarily departed the base for locations outside Japan. US and Japanese leaders cut the ribbon during the opening ceremony for the new Japan Air Self-Defense Force Air Defense Command Headquarters

US and Japanese leaders cut the ribbon during the opening ceremony for the new Japan Air Self-Defense Force Air Defense Command Headquarters

On 21 March 2012 JASDF units completed moving from Fuchū Air Base (Tokyo). On 26 March, JASDF Yokota Air Base started operations. In 2013, the air base was again attacked by Kakurokyo members by improvised mortar barrages. On 5 April 2018 five

CV-22 Osprey The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is an American multi-use, tiltrotor military transport aircraft, military transport and cargo aircraft with both vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities. It is designed ...

tiltrotor aircraft deployed to the base. They had originally been scheduled to deploy to Yokota in 2020, but the deployment was brought forward. As the first permanent deployment of the aircraft outside of Okinawa, the move sparked local protests. The number of aircraft will eventually reach 10.

Major commands to which assigned

* 1st Cavalry Division, United States Army Forces Pacific, (September 1945) * Pacific Air Command, US Army, (September 1945 – January 1947) *

Far East Air Forces The Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at the Hickam AFB portion of Join ...

(January 1947 – July 1957) *

(July 1957 – present)

Role and operations

United States Air Force

374th Airlift Wing C-130H Hercules at Yokota 20110325

The host unit at Yokota is the

374th Airlift Wing The 374th Airlift Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force assigned to Fifth Air Force. It is stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It is part of Pacific Air Forces. The 374th Airlift Wing is the only airlift wing in PACAF and provides airl ...

and is currently used for

airlift An airlift is the organized delivery of Materiel, supplies or personnel primarily via military transport aircraft. Airlifting consists of two distinct types: strategic and tactical. Typically, strategic airlifting involves moving material lo ...

missions throughout

East Asia East Asia is a geocultural region of Asia. It includes China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan, plus two special administrative regions of China, Hong Kong and Macau. The economies of Economy of China, China, Economy of Ja ...

. The 374th includes four groups: operations, mission support, maintenance and medical. Each group manages a various number of squadrons in order to carry out the wing's mission. *

374th Operations Group The 374th Operations Group (374 OG) is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 374th Airlift Wing. It is stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan. The unit's World War II predecessor unit, the 374th Troop Carrier Group opera ...

(Tail Code: YJ)
The 374th Operations Group maintains a forward presence by providing rapid responsive movement of personnel, equipment and operational support in the Asia-Pacific region. The group consists of: ** 374th Operations Support Squadron **

36th Airlift Squadron The 36th Airlift Squadron is an airlift squadron of the United States Air Force. It is part of the 374th Operations Group (374th Airlift Wing) at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It is the only forward-based tactical airlift squadron in the United Stat ...

( C-130J Super Hercules) ** 459th Airlift Squadron ( UH-1N Iroquois (Huey), C-12J Huron) It is not uncommon to see a

KC-135 Stratotanker The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling tanker aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boeing gave ...

C-5 Galaxy The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a large military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed, and now maintained and upgraded by its successor, Lockheed Martin. It provides the United States Air Force (USAF) with a heavy intercontinental-rang ...

KC-10 Extender The McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender is an American tanker and cargo aircraft that was operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1981 to 2024. A military version of the three-engine DC-10 airliner, the KC-10 was developed from the A ...

C-130 The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 w ...

, C-17, or civilian charter (

Omni Air International Omni Air International, LLC is a United States charter airline headquartered in Hangar 19 on the grounds of Tulsa International Airport in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States. It specializes in passenger charter flights and Aircraft lease, Aircraft, ...

, Air Transport International etc. mostly

Boeing 757 The Boeing 757 is an American Narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body airliner designed and built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The then-named 7N7, a twinjet successor for the trijet Boeing 727, 727, received its first orders in August 1978. The ...

or 767) and cargo (

Atlas Air Atlas Air, Inc. is a major American cargo airline, charter airline, passenger charter airline, and Aircraft lease, aircraft lessor based in White Plains, New York. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings. Atlas Air is t ...

Kalitta Air Kalitta Air is an American cargo airline headquartered at Willow Run Airport, Ypsilanti Township, Michigan. The company operates international scheduled and cargo charter services. Its call sign "Connie" is from its founder, Connie Kalitta. His ...

etc. mostly

Boeing 747 The Boeing 747 is a long-range wide-body aircraft, wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2023. After the introduction of the Boeing 707, 707 in October 1958, Pan Am ...

) airline aircraft on military charters on the Transient Aircraft ramp. * 374th Maintenance Group
The 374th Maintenance Group maintains C-130J, C-12 and UH-1N aircraft supporting intratheater airlift and distinguished visitor transport for Pacific Air Forces. * 374th Mission Support Group
The 374th Mission Support Group is responsible to the 374th Airlift Wing Commander for the command, control, and direction of support activities to 374 AW and 32 tenant units including Headquarters United States Forces Japan, US Forces Japan and

. * 374th Medical Group
The 374th Medical Group ensures medical readiness of 374 AW, 5 AF, and US Forces Japan personnel. They also maintain 64 War Reserve Materiel projects, including the USAF's largest Patient Movement Item inventory. Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk, RQ-4B Global Hawks of Detachment 1, 319th Operations Group deploy to Yokota from Andersen Air Force Base, Andersen AFB in Guam during the typhoon season, normally between June and December.

AMC passenger terminal

The newly renovated Air Mobility Command (AMC) Passenger Terminal is on the main part of the base next to the flightline. It is a 5 to 7-minute walk from the Kanto Lodge (see below) and offers Space A Travel, Space-Available flights to various destinations in PACAF such as Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, Korea, Okinawa Prefecture, Okinawa, Singapore, as well as the Continental United States.

Based units

Flying and notable non-flying units based at Yokota Air Base. Units marked GSU are Geographically Separate Units, which although based at Yokota, are subordinate to a parent unit based at another location.

United States Air Force

(PACAF) *

** Headquarters Fifth Air Force **

(Host Wing) *** Headquarters 374th Airlift Wing ***

****

– Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules, C-130J Hercules **** 374th Operations Support Squadron **** 459th Airlift Squadron – Bell UH-1N Twin Huey, UH-1N Iroquois and C-12J Huron *** 374th Maintenance Group **** 374th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron **** 374th Maintenance Operations Squadron **** 374th Maintenance Squadron *** 374th Medical Group **** 374th Aerospace Medicine Squadron **** 374th Dental Squadron **** 374th Medical Operations Squadron **** 374th Medical Support Squadron **** 374th Surgical Operations Squadron *** 374th Mission Support Group **** 374th Civil Engineer Squadron **** 374th Communications Squadron **** 374th Contracting Squadron **** 374th Force Support Squadron **** 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron **** 374th Security Forces Squadron *USAF Band of the Pacific - Asia Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) *353rd Special Operations Wing **21st Special Operations Squadron (GSU) – Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, CV-22B Osprey **753rd Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (GSU) Air Combat Command (ACC) * Sixteenth Air Force ** 319th Reconnaissance Wing *** 319th Operations Group **** 4th Reconnaissance Squadron (seasonal) – Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk, RQ-4B Global Hawk Air Mobility Command (AMC) * United States Air Force Expeditionary Center ** 515th Air Mobility Operations Wing *** 515th Air Mobility Operations Group (GSU) **** 730th Air Mobility Squadron

United States Coast Guard

Coast Guard Pacific Area (PACAREA) * Fourteenth District ** US Coast Guard Activities Far East (FEACT)

United States Department of Defense

United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) *

** Headquarters United States Forces Japan

Japan Air Self-Defense Force

Air Defense Command * Air Defense Command Headquarters * Air Tactics Development Wing Headquarters * Air Intelligence Wing * Operations Support Wing * Yokota Regional Air Police Squadron * Yokota Weather Squadron

Lawsuits

Resistance to the air base immediately followed the end of US occupation. Gravel used in the construction of the airfields was taken from the Tama River, lowering the riverbed and affecting the traditional irrigation system (Fuchū-yōsui), which had provided water to local communities since the early Edo period. The base also caused great stress to nearby inhabitants in a number of other ways, such as fuel leaks and spills that contaminated groundwater and well water, foul odors and fires, deafening noise pollution, and repeated plane crashes. Although local leaders succeeded in bringing about the return of land that had been taken for the base in Tachikawa, at Yokota, the number of departures and landings per year reached 20,000. Pilot training that simulated landing jets on aircraft carriers was also held several times each year, often throughout the night. Because such training, together with the engine testing and daily flights, created a level of noise pollution that local inhabitants found unbearable, numerous lawsuits were filed against the Japanese and U.S. governments, calling for a halt in flights and compensation for damages caused by the noise pollution. At present, a small fraction of the compensation demanded for past damages appears likely to be awarded. "Yokota Airbase Pollution Lawsuit No. 9", filed on 12 December 2012 and "New Yokota Airbase Pollution Lawsuit No. 2", filed on 26 March 2013, are currently being disputed.

Base amenities

The 374th Force Support Squadron

The 374th Force Support Squadron is responsible for providing an enhanced quality of life, facilities and programs for 11,000 military, civilian and dependents as well as 150,000 transient personnel per year. The 374th Force Support Squadron provides manpower and personnel support, membership clubs, child development, youth programs, food service, lodging, sports/fitness, recreation/leisure activities, comprehensive readiness program, marketing/publicity, linen exchange, and mortuary operations for Yokota AB.

Friendship Festival

Each year in May, Yokota Air Base opens the gates to the Japanese community for its annual Friendship Festival. For two days, local residents can learn about Yokota Air Base. Food and events are provided for all ages. Roughly 200,000 visitors show up each year, although non-Japanese visitors may be turned away from the gates for security reasons. For those two days, visitors are able to examine many types of aircraft and tour some of the large cargo planes from inside. Each year, service member volunteers base-wide form "D Squadron" for the event, offering some visitors an enhanced on-base experience. In 2020 and 2021, it was canceled due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. 2022 was held on May 21 and May 22, three months earlier than usual. On the May 22, the 46th President of the United States, Joe Biden, visited Japan with the arrival of related equipment, including the dedicated Air Force One, but the Friendship Festival was held as scheduled.

Education

The Department of Defense Education Activity operates schools at Yokota for children of personnel assigned to the base. * Joan K. Mendel Elementary School (formerly known as Yokota East Elementary School) * Yokota West Elementary School * Yokota Middle School: School Dedication Ceremony took place on 13 June 2000. YMS initial year began with only grades 7 and 8, with the upstairs specialty wing housing High School classes until construction modifications to YHS were completed. Class officially began August 2000. * Yokota High School: The Home of the Yokota Panthers. The school was constructed in 1973. A new "21st century" school started construction in 2015 and finished in 2017. The new school replaced the old Yokota High School. Higher educational opportunities for those in the military and working for the Department of Defense, as well as for family members at Yokota are available through several contracted academic institutions. For example: * The Asian Division of University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) (known as the University of Maryland University College until July 1, 2019)

Tama Hills Recreation Area

The Tama Hills Recreation Area comprises about one-half of the 500-acre Tama Services Division Annex, the other half being the Tama Hills Golf Course.

In popular culture

The base was the setting of ''Almost Transparent Blue'', a best-selling novel written by Ryu Murakami and published in 1976, as well as the anime ''Blood the Last Vampire'' and the short film ''Baby Blue'' from Genius Party, directed by Shinichiro Watanabe. Yokota Air Base and its surrounding area were the central location for the 2006 movie ''Sugar and Spice (2006 film), Sugar and Spice'' and mentioned briefly in ''Patlabor 2: The Movie''. It is also the setting of parts of ''The Yokota Officers Club : A Novel'' by Sarah Bird. The base is also the birthplace of US Marine Captain, former Ultimate Fighting Championship, UFC fighter and Fox Sports analyst Brian Stann. The base was also briefly featured in the 2016 biopic ''Snowden (film), Snowden'' as one of Edward Snowden's workplaces.

References

Some of the text in this article was taken from pages on th
Yokota Air Base website
which as a work of the U.S. Government is presumed to be a public domain resource. That information was supplemented by:

Bibliography

* Fletcher, Harry R. (1989) Air Force Bases Volume II, Active Air Force Bases outside the United States of America on 17 September 1982. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. * Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. . * Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. . * Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications. .

External links

Official website

JASDF Yokota Air Base
(in Japanese)
610th Military Airlift Support Squadron Alumni
{{authority control Military airbases established in 1940 Installations of the United States Air Force in Japan Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces Air Transport Command in the Pacific Ocean Theater Aviation in Tokyo Transport in the Greater Tokyo Area Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Occupied Japan Japan Air Self-Defense Force bases Military facilities in Tokyo