Blast rocks largest US air base in Asia-Pacific

At least four people were injured at the Kadena facility in Okinawa, Japan, on Monday.

An explosion has rocked a storage depot at a US air base on the Japanese island of Okinawa, injuring at least four people, according to local media and defense sources.

The blast at Kadena Air Base occurred around 11:20am local time on Monday, injuring at least four members of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF), according to military sources cited by NHK and Jiji Press. None of the injuries are believed to be life-threatening.

The affected facility is reportedly used to house unexploded wartime munitions. It is operated by the SDF’s unexploded ordnance disposal team and is located within the US military’s largest air base in the Asia-Pacific region.

Local authorities and emergency services responded to the incident in Yomitan Village. Kadena Air Base has yet to issue a formal statement, as both Japanese and US military officials continue to assess the extent of the damage.

Kadena Air Base, located in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, is the largest and most strategically significant US Air Force installation in the Asia-Pacific region. Often referred to as the “Keystone of the Pacific,” the base spans more than 2,000 hectares and houses approximately 20,000 personnel. It serves as the headquarters of the US Air Force’s 18th Wing, the largest combat wing in the service.

Kadena is jointly used by the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, including SDF logistics and ordnance teams like the one involved in Monday’s explosion. The base also routinely hosts rotating deployments of advanced US aircraft such as F-22 Raptors and B-52 strategic bombers, and plays a critical role in monitoring regional hotspots, including North Korea, Taiwan and the South China Sea.