Japan airport closed by explosion of U. S. bomb likely dating to World War II

A regional airport in southwest Japan was closed on Wednesday after an American bomb, most likely dropped during World War II to stem "kamikaze" attacks, exploded near its runway, causing nearly 90 flight cancellations. The explosion, which occurred at Miyazaki Airport, created a crater 23 feet wide and nearly 3 feet deep in the middle of the taxiway next to the runway. According to a Japanese transport ministry official, a bomb disposal team from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force found that the cause of the explosion was an American bomb that had been buried beneath the land surface, probably dating to a wartime air raid.Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but the runway shutdown has led to the grounding of 87 flights, with affected flights operated by JAL, ANA, and other airlines connecting Miyazaki with cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka. The airport is expected to reopen by Thursday morning, with repair works to fill the hole already underway. The incident highlights the ongoing issue of unexploded bombs in Japan, with multiple such devices previously found at Miyazaki airport. According to the transport ministry official, more than 79 years since the end of World War II, unexploded bombs from the intense airstrikes are still found across Japan today. In fact, the Self-Defense Forces have disposed of a total of 2,348 bombs weighing 41 tons during fiscal year 2023.