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Explosion at US air base in southern Japan injures 4 Japanese soldiers
An explosion at a storage site for unexploded wartime ordinances at a US military base on Japan's southern island of Okinawa injured four Japanese soldiers, though the injuries are not life threatening, officials said on Monday.
The four soldiers had injuries to their fingers while working at a facility that belongs to Okinawa prefecture to store unexploded ordnance found on the island, where one of the harshest battles of World War II was fought, local officials said.
Prefectural officials said the injuries were not life threatening, but no other details were immediately known.
The Self Defence Force's joint staff said they were looking into reports of an explosion at Kadena Air Base that occurred while a team of Japanese soldiers that specialises in handling unexploded ordnance was working near or at the base.
The SDF said they are trying to confirm the cause of the accident and where it occurred.
Hundreds of tons of unexploded wartime bombs, many of them dropped by the US military, remain buried around Japan and are sometimes dug up at construction sites and elsewhere.
In October, an unexploded wartime US bomb exploded at a commercial airport in southern Japan, causing a large crater and suspending dozens of flights.
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Time of India
2 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.
Business Standard
5 hours ago
- Business Standard
Explosion at US air base in southern Japan injures 4 Japanese soldiers
An explosion at a storage site for unexploded wartime ordinances at a US military base on Japan's southern island of Okinawa injured four Japanese soldiers, though the injuries are not life threatening, officials said on Monday. The four soldiers had injuries to their fingers while working at a facility that belongs to Okinawa prefecture to store unexploded ordnance found on the island, where one of the harshest battles of World War II was fought, local officials said. Prefectural officials said the injuries were not life threatening, but no other details were immediately known. The Self Defence Force's joint staff said they were looking into reports of an explosion at Kadena Air Base that occurred while a team of Japanese soldiers that specialises in handling unexploded ordnance was working near or at the base. The SDF said they are trying to confirm the cause of the accident and where it occurred. Hundreds of tons of unexploded wartime bombs, many of them dropped by the US military, remain buried around Japan and are sometimes dug up at construction sites and elsewhere. In October, an unexploded wartime US bomb exploded at a commercial airport in southern Japan, causing a large crater and suspending dozens of flights.
Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Explosion at a US air base in southern Japan injures 4 Japanese soldiers
An explosion at a storage site for unexploded ordnance at a US military base on Japan's southern island of Okinawa injured four Japanese soldiers, though the injuries are not life-threatening, officials said Monday. The four soldiers sustained finger injuries while working at a facility that belongs to Okinawa prefecture and temporarily stores unexploded ordnance, mostly from wartime and found on the island, local officials said. One of the harshest battles of World War II was fought on Okinawa. Prefectural officials said the injuries were not life-threatening, but no other details were immediately known. Also Read | An Okinawan bone digger searches for remains from one of the fiercest battles of World War II The U.S. Air Force said in a statement that the explosion occurred at the facility managed by the Okinawa prefectural government at Kadena Air Base's munitions storage area. It said no U.S. servicemembers were involved in the incident. The Self-Defence Force's joint staff said one of the devices exploded when the soldiers were inspecting it at the facility. The blast occurred when the soldiers were trying to remove rust, NHK television reported. The SDF said they are trying to confirm what caused the accident. Also Read | All-time great wrestler Hakuho quits Japan Sumo Association with plans to form global body Monday's accident was believed to be the first ever since the 1974 launch of the Japanese army's unexploded ordnance disposal unit. Hundreds of tons of unexploded wartime bombs, many of them dropped by the U.S. military, remain buried around Japan and are sometimes dug up at construction sites and elsewhere. Many of them are still found on Okinawa, where about 1,856 tons of unexploded U.S. bombs are believed to remain. Also Read | India becomes $4 trillion economy, surpasses Japan, says NITI Aayog CEO In October, an unexploded wartime U.S. bomb exploded at a commercial airport in southern Japan, causing a large crater and suspending dozens of flights.
