Officials investigate explosions near U.S. base in Japan

TOKYO -- Japanese police investigating two loud blasts outside a U.S. military base said Tuesday they found a metal projectile and a crude mortar made from a metal pipe, suggesting leftist radicals may have targeted the base.

No one was hurt in the Monday night explosions, and there were no reports of damage. U.S. officials said the explosions were reported about 800 feet from the base.

Japanese police spokesman Narihito Sasaki said two explosions were heard from a wooded area in the park just outside Camp Zama, a U.S. Army base 25 miles southwest of Tokyo.

Launcher found

Sasaki said the launcher was found in the park and there were burn marks nearby, indicating it had been used. He said the pipe was pointed toward Camp Zama and was 21 inches in length and two inches in diameter.

Police later found a round, metal projectile nearly a half mile away from the launcher on the balcony of a private home. A few tiles on the home were broken, but no one was injured, said another official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Japanese newspapers reported that the launcher was made of a single metal pipe held in place by sandbags and propped up by three legs. Two major Japanese newspapers quoted anonymous police as saying they suspected it was a leftist attack.

Leftist radicals in Japan are known for using similar projectile launchers in attacks on targets related to the U.S. military here or on sites connected to the royal family. Attacks are usually symbolic, and injuries or significant damage are rare.

Police refused to comment on whether leftists were suspected, saying only that no one had claimed responsibility and that they had made no arrests.

In Washington, Maj. Timothy Blair, a Pentagon spokesman, confirmed that an explosion had been reported about 800 feet from Camp Zama, the headquarters for the U.S. Army, Japan and the 9th Theater Support Command.

There are 2,000 military personnel stationed at the base.

Camp Zama public affairs officials said "appropriate force protection measures" were being taken.

About 50,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Japan under a mutual security pact.