Improvised rocket launchers were fired close to a US airbase near Tokyo, police and the American military said on Friday, with suspicions falling on one of Japan’s small ultra-leftist groups.
No one was hurt and no damage was done in the incident, which media reported came just hours after the arrest of a senior member of a radical faction, and followed a pattern seen four years earlier.
“The incident occurred at 11:30pm on Thursday. Flying objects were launched near the US military’s Yokota Airbase,” a spokesman for Tokyo Metropolitan Police said.
“Several reports were made by neighbours that they had heard explosions at about 11:30pm. Police discovered two steel pipes, two wires, batteries, and so forth.
“No damage has been reported so far and police have not found the projectiles.”
Local media reported the pipes were buried in the ground, with the upper end pointing in the direction of Yokota Airbase.
A statement from the US military confirmed the presence of “an improvised mortar launch outside Yokota”.
“There were no injuries and thus far we have found no damage or impact points here on base. We take matters of security at our installation very seriously and we are assisting” police, it said.
There have been no claims of responsibility, but police believe it may have been a guerrilla attack by extreme leftists, Jiji Press and other media said.
Broadcaster NTV reported police were concentrating their investigations on the Revolutionary Labourers’ Association Anti-Majority Faction because the incident came just hours after they arrested a top-ranking member on Thursday.
A similar incident occurred four years ago, when police raided hideouts of the same leftists, NTV said.
