Visiting Iwo Jima Today Civilian access is severely restricted. Only a small number of official tour operators are allowed to land there with tourists.

Iwo Jima was considered strategically important since it provided an air base for Japanese fighter planes to intercept long-range B-29 Superfortress bombers. In addition, it was used by the Japanese to stage nuisance air attacks on the Mariana Islands from November 1944 to January 1945.