Four members of Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force were injured on Monday following an explosion at a munitions facility on the premises of the U.S. Kadena Air Base in Okinawa. The blast occurred around 11:20 a.m. local time at a depot managed by the Okinawa prefectural government for storing and handling unexploded ordnance, Japanese authorities confirmed.
According to Japan’s Defense Ministry, the explosion happened while personnel were inspecting and cleaning old munitions. All four injured soldiers sustained non-life-threatening wounds, including minor finger injuries, facial abrasions, and possible hearing impairment. They were transported to a civilian hospital for treatment. No U.S. military personnel were harmed in the incident, and the U.S. Air Force confirmed that the explosion did not occur in an American-controlled facility.
Local fire officials said there was no resulting fire, structural damage, or requirement for evacuation. The site has since been secured. Japan’s unexploded ordnance disposal unit, in cooperation with emergency services, has launched an investigation into the exact cause of the incident.
The region surrounding Kadena Air Base contains a significant amount of buried World War II-era ordnance. The Japanese government estimates that more than 1,800 tons of unexploded munitions remain across Okinawa, a legacy of the intense fighting that occurred during the final stages of the Pacific War. Accidents involving such remnants occasionally occur during civilian construction or military disposal operations.
In a statement, the U.S. 18th Wing at Kadena said the blast did not involve U.S. forces or facilities and reaffirmed coordination with Japanese authorities during the response. The Defense Ministry in Tokyo reiterated that safety inspections and clearance operations will continue as scheduled, though additional precautionary measures may be reviewed.
