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.

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.

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.