Unexploded US bomb blast grounds flights at Japanese airport

An American bomb buried in a Japanese airport exploded on Wednesday, causing a crater in a taxiway and the cancellation of more than 80 flights.

The minor explosion left a hole approximately seven meters (23 feet) wide, but no casualties were reported and no aircraft were nearby at the time.

The bomb, which exploded at Miyazaki airport in southwest Japan, is believed to have been dropped during World War II to stop kamikaze planes carrying out suicide missions.

“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 the Japan Self-Defense Forces confirmed that a 500-pound U.S. bomb was to blame for the explosion.

While a transport minister said he could not confirm when the bomb was dropped, local media reported it was likely during World War II.

Located on the southeastern tip of Kyushu Island, Miyazaki Airport was built in 1943 as a base for the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Other unexploded ordnance dropped by the United States was reportedly discovered at a nearby construction site in 2009 and 2011.

Unexploded bombs remain buried across the country. The Reuters news agency said a total of 2,348 bombs weighing 41 tons were destroyed in 2023.