Iruma was established in 1937 by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force and named Irumagawa Airfield.

Mostly training aircraft operated from the base, including Kawasaki Ki-10 (Army Type 95 Fighter Model 1) biplanes painted orange.

[citation needed] On 28 June 1973, the USAF support units were inactivated, and most of their associated facilities were transferred back to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.

The major facilities retained by USAF at Johnson were the telecommunications center, telephone exchange, admin office, Aircom MW relay, electrical power stations, and HF antennas.

[2] These facilities were transferred to the control of the 475th Air Base Wing at Yokota AB and continuously operated by the AFCS 1956th Communications Group until MW tower relocated to the USAF Tokorozawa Transmitter Site, approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) southeast from Johnson.

The event features ground displays of various military aircraft from all three branches of the Japan Self-Defense Forces and a performance by Blue Impulse, the JASDF's aerobatics team.