Unexploded U.S. WWII Bomb Explodes at Miyazaki Airport, Causing Crater and Canceling 87 Flights

Oct 2, 2024, 12:00 PM

On Wednesday, October 2, 2024, Miyazaki Airport in southwest Japan was temporarily closed after an explosion occurred on a taxiway near the runway, causing a crater seven meters wide and leading to the cancellation of 87 flights. Officials reported that the explosion was caused by a buried unexploded U.S. bomb from World War II, likely dropped to stem kamikaze attacks. No injuries were reported. The airport, originally an imperial Japanese air force base during the war, has previously been the site of unexploded ordnance discoveries. The incident prompted the closure of the runway and affected flights operated by All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines.