A dormant US bomb from World War II erupted at Miyazaki Airport in southwestern Japan on Wednesday, creating a substantial crater in a taxiway and prompting the cancellation of over 80 flights.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and nearby aircraft were unaffected.
According to Japan’s Land and Transport Ministry, the explosion occurred at approximately 7:59 am, with eyewitness footage from a nearby aviation school capturing the blast sending asphalt fragments airborne.
Japanese television broadcasts revealed a 7-meter diameter and 1-meter deep crater in the taxiway.
An investigation conducted by the Self-Defense Forces and police confirmed the explosion’s source as a 500-pound US bomb, with officials currently determining the cause of its sudden detonation.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi announced that more than 80 flights had been canceled, but the airport resumed operations on Thursday morning following overnight repairs to the damaged taxiway.
Miyazaki Airport’s history dates back to 1943 as a former Imperial Japanese Navy flight training field, from which kamikaze pilots embarked on suicidal missions.
The area has yielded several unexploded US bombs, including discoveries in 2009 and 2011.
Japan continues to grapple with the legacy of WWII, with hundreds of tons of unexploded ordnance remaining buried nationwide. In fiscal year 2023, the Self-Defense Force disposed of 2,348 bombs weighing 41 tons.
