An explosion rocked a Japanese military facility located within the US-run Kadena Air Base in Okinawa on June 9, according to the Japanese defense ministry.
The blast occurred at a Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF) site inside the base, which is one of the largest American military installations in Asia.
The incident has left four people injured, local media reports said. Fortunately, none of the injuries are considered life-threatening. Japanese news agency Jiji Press and other outlets confirmed the number of injuries, citing official sources.
A defense ministry spokesperson told AFP that they received early reports of the explosion and are working to gather more information. So far, no cause has been officially confirmed.
Explosion linked to temporary bomb storage area
Public broadcaster NHK, citing anonymous officials from the defense ministry, reported that the explosion may have taken place at a temporary storage area used for unexploded ordnance. These are bombs or munitions that did not detonate when deployed and are typically stored in designated safety zones until they can be safely disposed of.
Local authorities are still trying to verify what exactly triggered the blast. Yuta Matsuda, an official from Yomitan village near the base, said, “We’ve heard there was an explosion at the SDF facility and also heard there were injuries but we don’t have further details.”
Emergency services and military personnel responded quickly to the scene. Investigations are currently underway to determine what led to the explosion and whether any safety protocols were breached.
Okinawa’s wartime legacy still looms over US-Japan military sites
The explosion at the SDF facility highlights Okinawa’s long and complex military history. During World War II, Okinawa served as a critical buffer for Japan to slow advancing US forces. The 1945 Battle of Okinawa resulted in the deaths of over a quarter of the island’s civilian population.
Although the US occupation officially ended in 1972, American military bases remain under a bilateral security treaty. Today, Okinawa hosts about 70 percent of the land area used for US military bases in Japan and more than half of the 50,000 US troops stationed in the country.
Hundreds of tons of unexploded bombs from the war—many dropped by US forces—still lie buried across Japan. These remnants are often discovered at construction sites or during routine inspections.
Just last October, one such bomb detonated at a commercial airport in southern Japan, creating a massive crater and forcing the cancellation of numerous flights. The latest explosion at Kadena Air Base may be another reminder of this unresolved wartime legacy.
The Kadena Air Base has long played a strategic role in regional security, and incidents like this raise concerns about safety measures in high-risk facilities shared between the US military and Japan’s SDF.
AloJapan.com