I thought I had already posted but it got lost in the ether. 


http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=2&id=264887

"Norihisa Kotani, 32, a sheet-metal worker, is suspected of being the sender of
several packages containing ammunition, one of which exploded at the
Shinshizuoka branch of Yamato Transport, injuring a part-time employee, the
police said."


it was a 40mm grenade which is fired from a M-79 or M-203. the blast wouldn't
kill someone but the schrapnel would make a mess.


"The Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) [the fucking ARMY!] sent a bomb-disposal
squad to Kotani's home at the request of the police, who found 20 to 30
artillery shells during a search at his home earlier in the day."

These were live blind 155mm arty shells he had picked up from the imact zone of
a firing range in Shizuoka. A 155mm HE round can take out a tank, imagine what
one of these could do to a Japanese house! I have seen medium arty and it is a
fearsome sight. 30 of these mothers is too much to think about. Seeing a flare
shell go off in a residential area would be interesting.

[A blind round is a round that was expected to explode but either the fuse was
set incorrectly, was faulty or didn't make contact (eg because of soft earth).
They still contain explosive and are highly unstable]

According to NHK there is a strong otaku group that collect blind ammo from
firing ranges. I can't believe how stupid these people are. Just the schrapnel
from bombs is dangerous, it can be incredibly sharp and spent white phosphorous
rounds still contain phosphorous, disturbing them can expose the phos to air.
Phos burns are the most terrifying thing.

I though the Asahi report guy was just stupid but now I suspect he was trying to
add to his collection.





 

---
"he [John Ashcroft] deliberately left Jesus out of office prayers to avoid
offending non-Christians."   - Ben Shapiro 27/2/2003