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It
is estimated that some 200,000 tons of explosives were fired during the
Battle of Okinawa, and of that number some 5%, about 10,000 tons didn't
explode on impact. Even though immediately after the war, the US Military
Administration in Okinawa instituted a campaign for scrap metal, which got
local people cleaning up war debris, the more dangerous items remained hidden
to threaten future generations. Before Reversion to Japan in 1972, local
people found some 3,000 tons of unexploded ordinances. Immediately after
the war, many locals dismantled unexploded shells, extracting the TNT to
make grenades for fishing. There are also stories of young boys finding
unexploded shells and throwing stones at them, sometimes with serious consequences.
In the 27 years under US Administration, the US Military disposed of about
2,500 tons of unexploded ordinance. After Reversion till 1999, there were
1,472 tons of unexploded ordinance discovered, leaving some 3,000 tons still
hidden on the main island. Construction crews uncover only one in every
nine unexploded shells, with most shells found by people digging in their
backyards. The worst recorded accident involving an unexploded shell took
place on a construction site in Oroku, Naha on March 2nd, 1974. While drilling
for foundations, the construction crew struck, what was believed to be a
one-ton bomb, which, on exploding killed 38 people and damaged 117 houses.
Since then the Okinawan Prefectural Government has made it a legal pre-requisite
for all major earthworks and construction sites to undergo ground sensing
investigation before any construction can commence. There are currently
about a dozen to sixteen companies that specialize in remote ground sensing.
Magnetometers seem to be the most popular equipment used, as it easily scans
a wide area by sending sound waves into the ground and recording the speed
with which the waves return to the receiver. It doesn't take all that long
to scan a wide area. Most are tuned specifically to detect metallic objects.
Once something is located, the 'bomb busters' will dig down to where the
ordinance is and then leave it for the Defence Forces to remove. Ground
sensing surveys are also conducted on any site selected for archaeological
excavation.
From 1972 till 1999 the range of unexploded ordinance varied greatly, the
most numerous types of ammunition being 50kg bombs (515), 250kg(379) and
60kg(110) all dropped by aircraft. Other types of ammunition included 16inch
(36), 14inch (18) shells fired from ships, land mines 250kg (15), 120kg(10),
1,000kg(5) and sea mines 500kg(7), 650kg(6), 2,000kg(5) (total number discovered
in brackets ()).
Areas that have a high concentration of unexploded ordinance are predictably
Naha (104 cases 1972-1999), then Itoman (77), Haebaru (51), Urasoe and Tomigusuku
(49 each), Nishihara (46), Kochinda(33) and Nakaguksuku (32). Incidentally,
according to records during this period Zamami has had only two cases of
unexploded ordinance between 1972 and 1999. Miyako Island during the same
period had 133 discoveries of unexploded ordinance with 61 at Ueno village,
36 in Hirara and the rest scattered here and there. Ishigaki City has recorded
35 finds. The main difference between Okinawa main island and Miyako and
Ishigaki is that British ships were responsible for the bombardment of the
Yaeyama Islands, whereas the Americans focused their attack on the main
island of Okinawa.
If you come across anything that might resemble unexploded ammunition, you
should not touch it, and contact the police. You can also contact the Fire
and Disaster Prevention Division directly on (098) 866-2143.
Paul Saeki
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