The explosion occurred near the taxiway of an airport in Japan's Miyazaki Prefecture, damaging the asphalt pavement, local media reported. The runway is closed and flights are cancelled.
According to the Asahi newspaper, the area of damage is about 7 square meters. An official cause of the destruction of the asphalt pavement has not yet been announced, but according to a number of publications, the emergency services received a signal of an explosion.
A live broadcast from the airport by TBS television channel at 07:58 local time showed chunks of asphalt and dirt flying sideways and smoke rising into the sky.
Asahi wrote that according to police information, unexploded ordnance had previously been found at Miyazaki Airport. The airport is located on the site of a former air base of the Imperial Japanese Navy.