The runway at Miyazaki Airport in southwest Japan was closed Wednesday after an explosion on a taxiway.
With unexploded U.S. bombs from World War II often discovered at the airport, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force sent an explosive ordnance disposal unit to investigate.
The runway closure, which led to the suspension of all flights to and from the airport from around 9 a.m., is expected to continue through Wednesday evening, according to airport authorities.
The transport ministry said its officials found a hole with a diameter of 7 meters and a depth of 1 m on a taxiway.
Local firefighters said they received a report at around 8:10 a.m. that an explosion was heard. Police instructed airport personnel to evacuate the area.
The facility is some five kilometers from central Miyazaki, the capital of Miyazaki Prefecture, and serves domestic routes, including those to and from Tokyo’s Haneda airport and Osaka airport, as well as international routes.
It is also a pilot training base for the Civil Aviation College.
