Monday’s incident marks the first injury within Japan’s ordnance disposal unit since its formation in 1974.
Four Japanese soldiers were injured Monday in an explosion at a storage facility for unexploded ordnance within Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, officials confirmed. The injuries are not life-threatening.
The blast occurred at a facility operated by the Okinawa prefectural government, located in the US-run base’s munitions area. According to the US Air Force, “No American personnel were involved.”
The soldiers, members of Japan’s Self Defense Forces, were reportedly inspecting an unexploded device when the explosion occurred. Japan’s public broadcaster NHK reported that the blast happened “during an attempt to remove rust from the device.” The cause remains under investigation.
The facility stores wartime ordnance, mostly remnants from World War II. Okinawa, site of one of the war’s bloodiest battles, still frequently uncovers buried bombs during construction. Authorities estimate over 1,800 tons of unexploded US bombs remain on the island.
This incident is the first involving injuries to Japan’s ordnance disposal unit since its establishment in 1974.