A Japanese regional airport, which served as a base for suicide bombers during World War II, canceled all flights on Wednesday after a small explosion of still unexplained origin.
No injuries were reported following the incident at Miyazaki airport on the southern island of Kyushu. The explosion appears to have occurred about a hundred meters from the terminal, according to video images broadcast by Japanese media.
Local firefighters “received a call from the airport at 7:59 a.m. (midnight Swiss time) to report an incident accompanied by smoke,” a spokesperson said.
The airport notified firefighters that something “may have exploded, but it is not confirmed,” he added.
An airport official contacted by AFP was unable to provide further details, saying only that part of a taxiway had collapsed and that flights were canceled until the evening. .
The official said a police and fire investigation was underway.
Japan Airlines said the incident led to the cancellation of 13 flights that were expected to carry 790 passengers.
Miyazaki Airport was built in 1943 as a base for the Imperial Japanese Navy, which sent dozens of planes carrying kamikaze units on suicide missions.
