A US bomb reportedly buried at a Japanese airport since World War 2 exploded on Wednesday, creating a large crater in a taxiway. According to a BBC report, the incident led to the cancellation of more than 80 flights but no injuries were reported.
The crater created at Miyazaki airport in south-western Japan measured 7 metres wide and 1 metre deep. Land and Transport Ministry officials said there were no aircraft nearby when the bomb exploded, The Guardian reported.
“There is no threat of a second explosion, and police and firefighters are currently examining the scene,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said, adding that the airport aimed to reopen on Thursday.
A bomb disposal team from Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and the police confirmed that the explosion was caused by a US bomb weighing nearly 230 kg. They added that there was no further danger, as per BBC.
A video recorded by people at an aviation school nearby showed the blast spewing pieces of asphalt into the air like a fountain.
🇺🇸🇯🇵 An American WWII bomb exploded under the runway at Miyazaki Airport, Japan. No injuries reported, but 80 flights were canceled. The airport, built in 1943, has a history of unexploded bombs in the area.#Japan #Miyazaki #WWII #Aviation #History pic.twitter.com/itZ7DNmbBc
— Popsicle Protector OSNIT (@PopsicleProtect) October 3, 2024
According to The Guardian, Miyazaki airport was built in 1943 as a former imperial Japanese navy flight training field from which some kamikaze pilots took off on suicide attack missions.
Ordnance dropped by the US during the war was reportedly found unexploded at a nearby construction site in 2009 and 2011, as per BBC. Unexploded bombs remain buried across the country. According to Reuters, a total of 2,348 bombs weighing 41 tonnes were safely disposed of in 2023.
