Explosion in Japan near US base
Japanese media say police suspect the explosion is an attempted attack on a US base
A small explosion has detonated near the US military base Camp Zama in Japan but there were no injuries, a Pentagon spokesman said.
Air Force Major David Smith on Monday said: "A small explosion was heard in the vicinity of the base."
Police found two steel cylinders believed to have contained explosives near Camp Zama, some 25 km southwest of Tokyo, a police spokesman said.
He said police were not sure how large the cylinders were and had no immediate reports of damage.
A Japanese news report said police suspected an attempted attack on the base.
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.
