Japan Airport Closed, 87 Flights Canceled After US-Made Bomb Explosion

Japan Airport Closed After Bomb Blast

“The runway shutdown has led to the grounding of 87 flights but there is no danger of any further explosions...”

Japan's Miyazaki airport shut down after WWII-Era US bomb explosion.

Miyazaki Airport in southwestern Japan suspended operations on October 2 after a World War II-era US bomb exploded near the runway, forcing the cancellation of 87 flights.

The blast, which occurred on the taxiway adjacent to the runway, created a massive crater—7 meters wide and 1 meter deep—prompting immediate closure for safety reasons, according to a Japanese transport ministry official.

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) bomb disposal experts investigated the explosion and concluded that it was triggered by a US-made bomb buried underground, likely a remnant of a World War II air raid.

Miraculously, no injuries were reported despite the blast's proximity to air traffic. Live camera footage revealed a chilling scene: an airplane had been taxiing just 200 meters away merely two minutes before the explosion.

“The runway shutdown has led to the grounding of 87 flights but there is no danger of any further explosions and repair works to fill the hole should be completed by Thursday morning,” Japan's top government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi said.

The flight disruptions affected services operated by Japan Airlines (JAL), All Nippon Airways (ANA), and other carriers, connecting Miyazaki to major Japanese cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka, according to the airport's website.

Miyazaki Airport, located at Kyushu Island's southeastern tip, has a storied past. Formerly a Japanese naval base, it served as a launchpoint for hundreds of kamikaze pilots during World War II. Notably, the airport has a history of unexploded ordnance discoveries, with multiple incidents reported in the past, a transport ministry official revealed.

Seventy-nine years after World War II's conclusion, Japan still grapples with unexploded ordnance remnants. Ongoing discoveries highlight the enduring legacy of intense airstrikes.

In 2023, Japan's Self-Defense Forces safely disposed of 2,348 bombs weighing 37.5 tonnes, underscoring the ongoing threat.