An unexploded U.S. bomb from World War II buried at a Japanese airport detonated on Wednesday, creating a large crater in a taxiway and leading to the cancellation of more than 80 flights, though no injuries were reported, according to Japanese officials.
The Land and Transport Ministry confirmed that no aircraft were in the vicinity when the bomb exploded at Miyazaki Airport, located in southwestern Japan.
Investigations conducted by the Self-Defense Forces and police verified that the explosion was caused by a 500-pound U.S. bomb. Officials stated there was no ongoing threat, and they are working to determine the cause of the sudden detonation.
Footage captured by a nearby aviation school showed pieces of asphalt being thrown into the air by the blast. Japanese television broadcasted images of a crater on the taxiway, reported to be approximately 7 yards in diameter and 3 feet deep.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi announced that more than 80 flights had been canceled, though airport operations are expected to resume by Thursday morning.
Bomb Explodes At Japan Airport
“There is no risk of a second explosion, and police and firefighters are currently examining the area,” Hayashi said. A fire department spokesperson told AFP that a call was received from the airport at 7:59 a.m. reporting smoke from the incident.
Miyazaki Airport was originally constructed in 1943 as an Imperial Japanese Navy training airfield, with some kamikaze pilots launching from the site during World War II. Officials from the Defense Ministry noted that several unexploded bombs dropped by U.S. forces during the war have been discovered in the area.
In 2009 and 2011, additional unexploded ordnance from the U.S. military was found at nearby construction sites.
Across Japan, hundreds of tons of unexploded bombs from World War II are still buried, often unearthed during construction projects. Citing the Self-Defense Force, reported that during fiscal year 2023, 2,348 bombs weighing a total of 41 tons were safely disposed of.
Last year, a World War II bomb in England also exploded in what authorities described as an “unplanned” detonation.
