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The naming origin of Yokota Air Base can be explained as follows:

Why Yokota Air Base is Called "Yokota"

1. The Name Before Yokota Air Base

The predecessor of Yokota Air Base was the Imperial Japanese Army Tama Airfield, which housed the Army Aviation Inspection Division and Aviation Maintenance School. In 1939, the Imperial Japanese Army purchased 200 hectares of land and began surveying and construction. Runway operations began in August 1940. The airfield was initially named "Tama Airfield," though personnel and local residents also called it "Fussa Airfield."

2. The Origin of the Place Name "Yokota"

While the name "Yokota Air Base" might suggest that "Yokota" is the place name of Fussa, it is actually a place name within Musashimurayama City, and this naming was done by the U.S. military during wartime. The U.S. military had a policy of naming bases after nearby place names. When the U.S. military discovered the Tama Airfield during wartime, they found the name "Yokota" on maps near the airfield, so they named it "Yokota Air Base."

3. Why "Yokota" Instead of "Fussa"

According to U.S. military records, the village name "Fussa" (福生) was difficult for Americans to pronounce, and Japanese listeners also had difficulty understanding it when heard. For these reasons, the name "Yokota" was adopted.

4. An Anecdote About the Naming

According to base newspaper records from 1961, shortly after the war's end, when U.S. military officers inspected the airfield from an airplane, an officer pointed to a map and asked an interpreter about the place name. The officer's pencil happened to point to "Yokota Village," so the interpreter simply answered "Yokota." With the broad American perspective, the officer, intending to ask about the general area, relied on the interpreter's precise answer to name it "Yokota," and this name was entered in the U.S. Department of Defense records.

5. The History of the Place Name "Yokota"

The history of the place name "Yokota" can be traced back at least to the Edo period, and it remained on maps until the 1980s. On social media, false claims such as "there is no place name 'Yokota' around Yokota Air Base" sometimes circulate, but this is misinformation.

In summary, the name "Yokota Air Base" originates from the place name "Yokota" located to the east of the base in present-day Musashimurayama City. It was named by the U.S. military that occupied Japan after the war. The local name "Fussa" was not adopted because it was difficult for Americans to pronounce, and "Yokota," which appeared on maps, was selected instead. This is now the established explanation.

Yokota Air Base derives its name from geography. The location where the base was constructed was originally known by the place name "Yokota." This name originates from historical or geographical characteristics of the area.

The base is located in Fussa City, Tokyo, and surrounding areas, taking the place name from its location. Many bases and place names in Japan use the original place names that have long existed in those areas. Yokota Air Base is no exception, using the regional name directly as the base name.

Yokota Air Base came to be called "Yokota Air Base" because the U.S. military adopted the place name "Yokota," which existed near the base, when designating the base's name.

Originally, this airfield was opened in 1940 by the Imperial Japanese Army as the "Tama Army Airfield." Since the airfield was largely located in what was then Fussa Town in Nishi-Tama District (now Fussa City), it was also commonly called "Fussa Airfield."

After World War II, the U.S. military moved in and took control of this airfield in September 1945. Initially, the U.S. military called the facility "Fussa Army Airfield," but by late September 1945, it was renamed "Yokota Army Airfield."

The reasons for selecting the name "Yokota" include the following points:

• The place name "Yokota" existed to the east of the base (in present-day Musashimurayama City) and appeared on maps created by the U.S. military.
• There is also a theory that the village name "Fussa" was difficult for Americans to pronounce and was also difficult for Japanese people to hear clearly, so "Yokota" was adopted.

Through this process, in 1946, the official name "Yokota Air Base" was formally adopted.

The name of Yokota Air Base (Yokota Air Base) originates from the place name "Yokota" that existed near the base.

Detailed Origin

• Japanese military designation before WWII: The airfield constructed by the Imperial Army in 1940 had the official name Tama Army Airfield. Since the site was primarily located around Fussa Town in what is now Fussa City, Tokyo (at that time), it was locally called Fussa Airfield.
• Naming by the U.S. military: During World War II, U.S. reconnaissance aircraft and mapmaking activities identified the airfield's existence, but its official name was unknown. Therefore, they adopted the place name "Yokota" (a settlement near the village of Yamashiro, in what is now Musashimurayama City) located to the north or northeast of the base as the name "Yokota." U.S. military maps from around 1944 show "Yokota" recorded near the airfield.
• Establishment after WWII: After the war's end, the U.S. military took control of the airfield in September 1945. Initially, it was also called "Fussa Army Airfield," but it was soon officially renamed "Yokota Army Airfield." The name "Yokota Air Base" has continued to be used since 1946.

In other words, although the base itself is located in Fussa City, the U.S. military adopted the nearby place name "Yokota," which is why it came to be called "Yokota Air Base." There is misinformation circulating that claims it derives from "Yokota Chojiro," a person's name, but according to reliable sources, the origin from the place name is the mainstream explanation.

This name remains the official designation of the U.S. military in Japan.