4 Japanese soldiers injured in US military base blast in Okinawa
At least four Japanese sustained injuries after an explosion took place on Monday, June 9, within the US military's
Kadena Air Base
in Japan's Okinawa, news agency Xinhua reported, citing local media. According to public broadcaster NHK, the blast went off at an ammunition depot that belongs to Japan's
Self-Defense Forces
(SDF).
The soldiers were working at an Okinawa prefecture facility storing unexploded ordnance found on the island, Independent reported. This was a site that witnessed intense fighting during World War II.
The fire department received reports of an explosion at the SDF-managed facility at around 11:20 am local time when the SDF personnel were preparing to conduct bomb disposal operations.
Four injured SDF members working at the depot were taken to the hospital following the incident. They sustained injuries, including burns to their fingers. None of the injured are in critical condition.
The SDF is investigating reports of the explosion involving a team specializing in handling unexploded ordnance, The Independent reported.
Live Events
Authorities are working to determine the cause and exact location of the accident. No evacuation order has been issued so far for nearby residents.
The U.S. Air Force and Marine Corps handle the ammunition storage area. It covers around 26 square kilometers as of March 2024.
The depot was set up by the prefecture in the storage area for the GSDF to engage in disposal of unexploded bombs, Kyodo News reported, citing local authorities
The SDF has conducted 1,852 disposal operations for unexploded bombs, dealing with a total of about 35 tons nationwide in fiscal 2023. It included 441 operations involving about 19.7 tons in Okinawa, equivalent to around 57 percent of the total.
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Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
4 Japanese soldiers injured in US military base blast in Okinawa
At least four Japanese sustained injuries after an explosion took place on Monday, June 9, within the US military's Kadena Air Base in Japan's Okinawa, news agency Xinhua reported, citing local media. According to public broadcaster NHK, the blast went off at an ammunition depot that belongs to Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF). The soldiers were working at an Okinawa prefecture facility storing unexploded ordnance found on the island, Independent reported. This was a site that witnessed intense fighting during World War II. The fire department received reports of an explosion at the SDF-managed facility at around 11:20 am local time when the SDF personnel were preparing to conduct bomb disposal operations. Four injured SDF members working at the depot were taken to the hospital following the incident. They sustained injuries, including burns to their fingers. None of the injured are in critical condition. The SDF is investigating reports of the explosion involving a team specializing in handling unexploded ordnance, The Independent reported. Live Events Authorities are working to determine the cause and exact location of the accident. No evacuation order has been issued so far for nearby residents. The U.S. Air Force and Marine Corps handle the ammunition storage area. It covers around 26 square kilometers as of March 2024. The depot was set up by the prefecture in the storage area for the GSDF to engage in disposal of unexploded bombs, Kyodo News reported, citing local authorities The SDF has conducted 1,852 disposal operations for unexploded bombs, dealing with a total of about 35 tons nationwide in fiscal 2023. It included 441 operations involving about 19.7 tons in Okinawa, equivalent to around 57 percent of the total.
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8 hours ago
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