TOKYO. A World War II-era U.S. bomb exploded on Wednesday at Miyazaki Airport in southwestern Japan, leaving a large crater in the taxiway and causing the cancellation of more than 80 flights. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
According to Japan’s Land and Transport Ministry, there were no aircraft in the vicinity when the explosion occurred. The blast created a crater approximately 7 meters (23 feet) in diameter and 1 meter (3 feet) deep. Video footage from a nearby aviation school captured the dramatic moment when pieces of asphalt were sent flying into the air like a fountain.
Authorities, including the Self-Defense Forces and police, confirmed that the explosion was caused by a 500-pound U.S. bomb from World War II. The cause of the bomb’s sudden detonation is still under investigation, though officials have assured the public that there is no further danger.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi announced that over 80 flights were canceled, with Miyazaki Airport aiming to resume operations by Thursday morning.
Miyazaki Airport, originally constructed in 1943 as a training field for the Imperial Japanese Navy, has a historical link to the war, with some kamikaze pilots having launched suicide missions from the site. Numerous unexploded bombs from U.S. air raids during the war have been unearthed in the region over the years.
Japan continues to face the legacy of World War II, as hundreds of tons of unexploded ordnance remain buried across the country, often discovered during construction projects.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
