Nadzab Tomodachi International Airport — Lae, Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea's second city, Lae, anchors a major port at the mouth of the Markham River, though LAE itself sits inland at Nadzab, a site with deep World War II history as a key Allied airbase following its capture from Japanese forces in 1943. The current terminal's name includes Tomodachi, the Japanese word for friend, adopted after Japan funded a substantial redevelopment of the facility, a gesture reflecting the two nations' postwar relationship. Lae itself functions as Papua New Guinea's main industrial and shipping center, and the Highlands Highway connecting the coast to the country's populous interior begins its climb not far from the airport, making LAE a critical logistics link for goods moving toward interior provinces. Surrounded by the Markham Valley's agricultural land and rising toward the Finisterre and Saruwaged mountain ranges, the airport handles both commercial cargo and passenger traffic connecting Lae to Port Moresby and beyond.