Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Japanese soldiers injured in Okinawa US military base explosion

The explosion occurred at or near Kadena Air Base
The explosion occurred at or near Kadena Air Base (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
  • Four Japanese soldiers sustained finger injuries in an explosion at a storage site for unexploded wartime ordnance at a US military base in Okinawa.
  • The soldiers were working at an Okinawa prefecture facility storing unexploded ordnance found on the island, a site of intense fighting during World War II.
  • The Self Defence Force (SDF) is investigating reports of the explosion, which occurred at or near Kadena Air Base, involving a team specialising in handling unexploded ordnance.
  • Authorities are working to determine the cause and exact location of the accident.
  • Unexploded wartime bombs remain a hazard in Japan, with a similar incident occurring in October when a US bomb exploded at a commercial airport, disrupting flights.
In full

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in