Mortar shell found in garbage in Shinjuku

Friday 19th December, 09:58 AM JST

TOKYO —

A mortar shell believed to be used by the Ground Self-Defense Force was found in the garbage area of an apartment block in Shinjuku Ward on Thursday. Police received a call at about 3 p.m. saying there was an artillery shell in the garbage in the Sumiyoshi apartment. Personnel from the Ground Self-Defense Force were called out, and they removed the shell without incident before 8 p.m.

Police later revealed the shell was cylindrical and about 40 centimeters in length, but in the end posed no risk of detonation as it did not contain a fuse or explosives. They also said the shell is similar to ones used by the Self-Defense Force in training.

Kyodo News Service

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8 Comments

elbudamexicano at 12:59 PM JST - 19th December

I hope it was just an unwanted souvenir but let's not forget that there are still hundreds if not thousands of un-detonated bombs hiding all over Japan from the US bombings back in WW2.
OgieDoggie at 03:35 PM JST - 19th December

If it has no fuze (fuze is the correct spelling for this by the way) and there is no explosives inside then what in the world is this story doing here. It's just someones display piece , I have a shell like this on my desk at work.
martyman at 05:10 PM JST - 19th December

The American military dodged the bullet this time. Luckily it was not a live UXO. The artical did not mention if a bomb squad (EOD) was used. A bit on the frightening side if untrained J-cops were handling a possible live shell.
gaijintraveller at 06:53 PM JST - 19th December

OgieDoggie, "fuze" is the North American spelling. "Fuse" is what most of the world uses. Please do not assume the American way is always the correct and only way.
Nessie at 08:26 PM JST - 19th December

Please do not assume the American way is always the correct and only way. OgieDoggie, "fuze" is the North American spelling.

"Fuze" is North American? Maybe it's the spelling in Warshington, where the bombs are nucular, but not anywhere else in the US. Fuze might be a military spelling, but it's not the standard North Amercan spelling.
ca1ic0cat at 01:35 AM JST - 20th December

I remember when they found a UXB next to Prime Tower in Ebina. Talk about excitement! That's probably why this is noted here. In Japan people actually have to know what to do if they do find a UXB lying around. Not something most of us ever had to think about, is it?

Oh, yeah, it's fuse. At least in Pittsburgh. But we do warsh our clothes. In the crick.
JohnBecker at 02:42 AM JST - 20th December

What I want to know is, did the owner dispose of this shell properly? Which bin do "munitions" go in?

Police later revealed the shell was cylindrical and about 40 centimeters in length

Oh! It was one of those cylindrical shells!