WWII-Vintage Bomb Explodes On Japanese Airport

Surveillance video shows an aircraft taxiing near the site of the long-buried ordnance two minutes before the blast.

Mark Phelps

Friday, October 04, 2024 at 10:37 AM ET

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Edited By: tccjeremy

Screen grab from surveillance video at Japan’s Miyazaki Airport.

Key Takeaways:

A nearly 80-year-old U.S. Army Air Forces bomb unexpectedly exploded at Japan's Miyazaki Airport, causing a 3-foot-deep crater on a taxiway and leading to 87 flight cancellations, though no injuries or aircraft damage were reported.
Miyazaki Airport, a former WWII kamikaze launch base, has seen multiple unexploded bombs discovered, reflecting an ongoing issue in Japan where thousands of WWII-era bombs are still found and disposed of annually.

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A U.S. Army Air Forces bomb finally inflicted its damage on the Japan airport it was dropped on almost 80 years ago.

Miyazaki Airport (RJFM), which served as a launch base for Japanese World War II “kamikaze” attacks, was damaged when what is believed to be a 500-pound bomb exploded Wednesday. No one was injured nor was there any damage to aircraft when the long-buried bomb went off under a taxiway. Eighty-seven flights were canceled.