WWII Bomb Detonates at Japanese Airport, Disrupts Flights

4 weeks ago Editor

An unexploded World War II bomb detonated at Miyazaki Airport in Japan, creating a large crater on the taxiway and causing over 80 flight cancellations, though no injuries were reported.

An unexploded bomb from World War II detonated at Miyazaki Airport in southwestern Japan, creating a large crater in the taxiway and leading to the cancellation of over 80 flights. Fortunately, no injuries were reported as there were no aircraft in the vicinity during the explosion.

According to the Land and Transport Ministry, the bomb was identified as a 500-pound explosive dropped by the U.S. military during the war. Authorities, including the Self-Defense Forces and police, confirmed that the area posed no further danger, although the cause of the detonation is still under investigation.

Footage captured by a nearby aviation school shows debris from the taxiway being thrown into the air by the force of the blast, while other videos broadcast on local media reveal a crater approximately 7 meters (23 feet) wide and 1 meter (3 feet) deep on the airport’s taxiway.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi announced that more than 80 flights were grounded due to the incident, with plans for the airport to reopen by Thursday morning.

Miyazaki Airport, originally established in 1943 as an Imperial Japanese Navy flight training field, has a history linked to World War II. The site has previously unearthed several unexploded bombs left from U.S. air raids during the conflict, a reminder that remnants of the war continue to pose risks in modern times.