Axial compressor

An axial compressor comprising:

• a cylindrical casing;
• a rotary shaft rotatably supported in the casing such that an annular fluid passage is defined between the rotary shaft and the casing;
• a rotor blade row including multiple rotor blades provided on an outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft at a prescribed pitch around an axis of the rotary shaft;
• a stator blade row including multiple stator blades provided on an inner circumferential surface of the casing at a position adjacent to and behind the rotor blade row with respect to an axial direction of the rotary shaft;
• and
• a recirculation passage provided in the casing and having a suction port provided on a downstream side of the fluid passage and an ejection port provided on an upstream side of the fluid passage,
• wherein the suction port is located rearward of leading edges of bases of the stator blades, and the ejection port is located at a position forward of centers of tips of the rotor blades and at least partially opposing the tips of the rotor blades.