A U.S. Army Air Forces bomb finally inflicted its damage on the airport it was dropped on almost 80 years ago. Miyazaki Airport, 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 yesterday (Oct. 2). 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.
The explosion left a crater roughly three feet deep, according to a Reuters report. A local television broadcast reported that surveillance video shows an aircraft taxiing near the site two minutes before the explosion. The Wall Street Journal WSJ News YouTube channel posted the surveillance video from the Civil Aviation College and the Miyazaki Prefecture showing the explosion and the aircraft taxiing by minutes before.
According to the Japanese transport ministry, multiple unexploded bombs have been found on the airport property, which was heavily targeted as a Japanese naval base during the war. Japan’s Self-Defense Forces reported that unexploded bombs continue to be found throughout Japan, with 2,348 having been discovered and disposed of during 2023.
Repairs on the taxiway were scheduled to be completed today.
