US World War II bomb explodes at Japanese airport

An unexploded World War II U.S. bomb buried at a Japanese airport exploded on Wednesday, leaving a large crater in a runway and leading to the cancellation of more than 80 flights. However, according to the Japanese authorities, there were no injuries.

Officials from Japan’s Ministry of Land and Transport said there were no aircraft nearby when the bomb exploded at Miyazaki Airport in southwestern Japan. An investigation by the Self-Defense Forces and police confirms that the explosion was caused by a 500-pound US bomb and that there is no further threat. They are working to find out what caused the sudden detonation.

Explosion throws asphalt debris into the air

Footage taken from a nearby flight school shows the explosion sending asphalt debris into the air. Television reports show a crater on the runway about 7 meters wide and 1 meter deep.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi notes that over 80 flights have been canceled and the airport aims to resume operations by Thursday morning.

Miyazaki Airport, built in 1943 as a flying training area for the Imperial Japanese Navy, was used by kamikaze pilots for suicide missions. Defense Department officials report that unexploded World War II bombs dropped by the U.S. military have been discovered in the area. Hundreds of tons of such bombs are buried throughout Japan and are often found during construction work.

Hundreds of tons of unexploded bombs from the war are buried across Japan and are occasionally discovered at construction sites.

US bombs in Japan

Several unexploded World War II bombs dropped by the U.S. military have been discovered in Japan, according to Defense Department officials. These bombs are often found at construction sites, and hundreds of tons of them remain buried across the country.

Miyazaki Airport has temporarily closed its runway after an explosion caused a 7-meter-wide and 1-meter-deep crater on a runway. A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force bomb disposal team confirmed that the explosion was caused by an American bomb, likely buried in a wartime air raid.

No injuries were reported, but live footage showed a plane taxiing nearby just two minutes before the explosion, local broadcaster MRT reported. According to government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi, the incident grounded 87 flights, but repairs are expected to be completed by Thursday morning.

Affected flights are JAL, ANA and other airlines that connect Miyazaki with cities such as Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka. Miyazaki Airport, on the southeastern end of Kyushu Island, was once a Japanese naval base and is known for its history of kamikaze pilots.

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