Update | Radical group suspected in weapons fire close to US base near Tokyo
Improvised mortars fell near Tokyo hours after arrest of member of radical faction
Improvised rocket launchers were fired close to a US air base near Tokyo, police and the American military said yesterday, 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 the local media reported came 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 Air Base," 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 their upper ends pointing in the direction of the air base.
A statement from the US military confirmed there had been "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, the statement said.