NAHA, Okinawa Pref.: Two unexploded bombs believed to have been dropped during World War II were found in a vegetable field next to Miyako Airport in the southern Japan prefecture of Okinawa this month, it was learned Thursday.

According to the Okinawa prefectural government and the city of Miyakojima, which hosts the airport, a company tasked with searching for dud shells discovered one of the two unexploded bombs Oct. 8 and the other three days later.

Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force, which was informed of the discoveries, confirmed both objects to be British-made 250-kilogram bombs. The city is working with the GSDF to dispose of the bombs.

The airport was originally built as an airfield of the now-defunct Imperial Japanese Navy in 1943, during World War II. Last year, several bombs were found near the airport.

A World War II U.S. bomb exploded near a taxiway at Miyazaki Airport in the southwestern Japan city of Miyazaki on Oct. 2 this year. Following the blast, the transport ministry started to search for more dud shells at the airport Wednesday.

The ministry will conduct similar probes at Sendai Airport in the northeastern prefecture of Miyagi, Matsuyama Airport in the western prefecture of Ehime, Fukuoka Airport in Fukuoka Prefecture, southwestern Japan, and Naha Airport in Okinawa.

JIJI Press