No Injuries, But Taxiway Is Cratered And Flights Canceled

On October 2, an American World War II-era 500-pound bomb that had lain buried beneath a taxiway at Miyazaki Airport (KMI) in southwestern Japan exploded suddenly and without warning, leaving a crater about 20 feet wide and 3 feet deep in the taxiway.

Thankfully, no one was injured in the explosion, but more than 80 flights were canceled at the international airport, also known as Miyazaki Bougainvillea Airport, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi. He said repairs to the taxilane are under way and expects the airport to resume operations on Thursday, October 4.

Domestic flights are operated at the airport by All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, and other carriers, connecting Miyazaki to Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and other cities.

It’s not known at this time what caused the bomb to detonate, but a video from a nearby aviation school showed an airliner taxi past the site and about two minutes later the bomb detonated, showering asphalt and dirt into the air.

Japan Defense Ministry officials said that a number of unexploded bombs dropped by the U.S. military during World War II have been dug up in the area. It is estimated that hundreds of tons of unexploded bombs remain buried around Japan, and sometimes are unearthed at construction sites.

The airport is located on the eastern coast of Kyushu Island in southwestern Japan. It was originally a Japanese Naval base during the war and was the launch site of kamikaze missions, so it’s likely that was the reason it was targeted by American bombers.

FMI:  www.miyazaki-airport.co.jp/