A small explosion occurred outside a U.S. Army base south of Tokyo late Monday, police and military officials said. A Japanese news report said police suspected an attempted attack on the base. | Is it that time of year again? |
The Army was investigating the blast, said an official at Camp Zama who spoke on condition of anonymity, adding that there were no reports of injuries or damage. "A small explosion was heard in the vicinity of the base," said Maj. David Smith, a Pentagon spokesman. "It did not occur on the base." | Careful not to hit the PX and disturb the shoppers. Not much else on Zama. |
Kyodo News agency reported that police had found a "launch pad" near the base and suspected an attempted guerrilla attack. The Army could not immediately confirm what had caused the explosion. | It'll be another homemade mortar or rocket launcher. |
A Kanagawa Prefecture police official who only gave his name as Okamura said Zama residents reported hearing the explosion around 11 p.m. and police were investigating.
In 2002, two blasts were heard outside Camp Zama, and Japanese police found a metal projectile and a crude mortar made from a metal pipe nearby. nvestigators blamed radical guerrillas for the explosions, which caused no injuries. | They'd be terribly upset if they did hit anyone. Couple years ago they lobbed one onto the Yokota AB golf course...at night. |
Leftist extremists in Japan have used projectile launchers against targets related to the U.S. military or on sites connected to the royal family. | While the rightwing extremists drive around the U.S. bases in black vans with big loudspeakers on top... |
The attacks are usually more symbolic than dangerous, and injuries or significant damage are rare. | It's their annual "We're still here" attack. I'll wager the police know who does it, but doesn't arrest them because of a "gentleman's agreement". |
The United States has some 50,000 troops based in Japan under a security treaty. Residents complain of crime, pollution and noise connected to the bases, but large-scale protests of the military presence are largely confined to the southern island of Okinawa.
UPDATE: Police searched the area near the U.S. Army's Camp Zama base southwest of Tokyo and found two pipes about 300 meters (yards) from the base, the spokesman said, adding they were investigating the incident.
Japan's Kyodo news agency quoted police as saying the pipes may have been used to launch a small bomb at the base. A similar incident occurred in November 2002, when two homemade rockets were launched toward Camp Zama from near the same park. Kyodo said the explosion was heard by a resident near the camp at around 11 p.m. (1400 GMT/9 a.m. EST) on Monday. |