Bomb Threat Forces Evacuations at U.S. Air Base

The U.S. Air Force issued evacuation orders after a bomb threat at Tokyo’s Yokota Air Base.

The airlift hub serves as headquarters for 5th Air Force and U.S. Forces Japan.

A “bomb threat, all clear” message was later sent to the base community.

Stars and Stripes reported the incident is currently under investigation.

The Air Force has issued an all-clear following a bomb threat that emptied wing headquarters and the base exchange Thursday morning at this airlift hub in western Tokyo. https://t.co/i7eqwh3STs

— Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) June 15, 2023

From Stars and Stripes:

The 374th Security Forces Squadron initially ordered evacuations at wing headquarters, the Enlisted Club, a residential tower and several other buildings. Several dozen people, including service members and American and Japanese civilian employees, gathered a short distance from the evacuated buildings.

“I was just driving and a friend was walking outside saying everyone in the area I was going to was evacuated due to some sort of threat at the e-club,” Air Force spouse Rylan Matosky told Stars and Stripes via Facebook Messenger on Thursday.

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Security forces later ordered an evacuation of the Yokota Community Center, where the Army and Air Force Exchange Service and base commissary are housed, along with other retailers and a food court. Evacuees there were directed to a rally point near the base flight line.

Yokota’s main gate and a gate used for deliveries and by outside contractors, both along busy Route 16, were closed, along with base streets near the affected sites.

The U.S. Air Force issued an all-clear notice at Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo on Thursday after an apparent bomb threat forced the evacuation of personnel from a number of sites at the base. https://t.co/J7diWA0eRI

— The Japan Times (@japantimes) June 15, 2023

A Facebook post from Yokota Air Base read:

Due to a real world event, please follow all instructions from security forces personnel and follow appropriate evacuation procedures. Please be aware of road closures on base until further notice.

UPDATE:

The Fussa gate and Supply gate are currently closed. SFS has directed evacuations of the following buildings;
2066 (E-Club), 314 (CPTS/MXG), 315 (Wing Bldg), 316 (MPF), their rally point will be building 580 (Professional Development Center) parking lot.

All following units need to evacuate: 2080 (Tower), buildings 2000 – 2005, buildings 2007- 2019, buildings 689, 665, 630, 620, 653, 656, 718, 732, 736, 731, 733, 753. Additionally, building 650 has been directed to relocate to building 1296 on the West Side.

UPDATE:

Security Forces has directed building 570 (Base Exchange) to be evacuated. Rally point will be adjacent to 530 near the flight line gate.

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UPDATE: The 374th AW Commander has issued an ALL CLEAR for Yokota Air Base. All affected gates and roads have been reopened for regular traffic.