AdvertisementJapanThis Week in AsiaPoliticsJapanese military seeks answers for fatal Type 10 tank blast that should not have happened
A round detonating inside a tank turret is virtually unheard of. The last time it happened in Japan was in 1979
3-MIN READ3-MIN3 ListenJulian RyallPublished: 9:30am, 25 Apr 2026A turret explosion that killed three Japanese crew members inside a Type 10 tank during manoeuvres earlier this week has caused shock and confusion in military circles.Japan’s defence ministry and experts concur that a round detonating inside a tank turret is virtually unheard of and the cause of the accident will need to be traced before the Ground Self-Defence Force’s (GSDF) newest and most advanced tank can return to training.
An analyst suggests the investigation will look closely at anti-tank rounds that were being fired, the vehicle’s self-loading mechanism and the breech system.
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The GSDF has temporarily halted firing drills involving tank units.
Commander Kentaro Hamabe, 45, gunner Shingo Takayama, 31, and Kozo Kanai, a 30-year-old sergeant overseeing safety during the drill, were killed instantly when the round exploded at about 8.40am on Tuesday at the Hijudai training area in Oita prefecture.
Ground Self-Defence Force Chief of Staff Masayoshi Arai speaks at a press conference following a tank shell explosion during a training exercise on Tuesday. Photo: Kyodo
The driver, who was in a separate compartment, is being treated for serious injuries.
Технології