The airport opened in 1943 as an Imperial Japanese Navy base during World War II, and was a major base for "kamikaze" units beginning in February 1945, sending a total of 47 aircraft on suicide missions during operations such as the Battle of Okinawa.[4]
In October 1969, All Nippon Airways Flight 104 overran a runway at Miyazaki Airport by 132 metres. All four crew and 49 passengers survived.[5]
The airport is connected to various locations by bus and taxi. Also, there is a railway line, the Miyazaki Kūkō Line, which connects the airport with the city center of Miyazaki and northern cities of the prefecture.