US Edition3 soldiers die in a shell explosion inside a tank gun turret during army drill in Japan
Live-fire exercises using Type 10 and Type 90 tanks were halted while officials investigate the ammunition blast that killed three soldiers.
- On Tuesday, April 21, 2026, a shell exploded inside a Type 10 tank during a live-fire exercise at the Hijudai Training Area in Oita Prefecture, killing three soldiers and injuring one.
- The blast occurred within the gun turret where a tank commander, gunner, and safety officer were stationed; the driver, the fourth occupant, survived with injuries.
- Japan Ground Self-Defense Force officials confirmed the explosion involved the military's newest tank model, deployed since 2011, during a scheduled drill with two other tanks.
- Masayoshi Arai, chief of staff of the GSDF, suspended live-fire exercises for Type 10 and Type 90 tanks using identical ammunition while officials investigate the cause.
- As the GSDF investigates the cause, officials confirmed no damage occurred outside the Hijudai Training Area, ensuring safety for surrounding municipalities where shooting drills were scheduled.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Three Japanese soldiers lost their lives on Tuesday 21 April during an exercise after the explosion of their tank. A rare accident that occurs in a context of increasing military manoeuvres in the region.
Associated Press News
3 soldiers die in a shell explosion inside a tank gun turret during army drill in Japan
A shell exploded inside a tank during an exercise at a southern Japanese army training area, killing three soldiers and injuring one, officials said.
Three Killed in Gun Barrel Explosion During Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Tank Training An accident occurred during a tank firing exercise by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force when a shell exploded inside the gun barrel, killing three crew members. According to reports from Japan's Sankei Shimbun and others on the 21st, at around 8:40 a.m. that day at a Ground Self-Defense Force training ground in Oita Prefecture, a tank...
Japan Self-Defense Forces Tank Explosion Kills 3 During Training in Oita Prefecture; 1 Injured
An explosion occurred inside a tank during firing exercises at the Ground Self-Defense Force’s Hijudai maneuver area in Oita Prefecture on Tuesday. Three personnel were killed and one injured, according to the GSDF.
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