Two bags of military equipment fell out of a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter Wednesday morning and landed near a home in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, but no one was injured, police said.
The two green bags, weighing about 13 kg, contained such items as camouflage uniforms, gas masks and bulletproof vests, they said.
The bags fell from a CH-53E chopper at about 7:25 a.m. roughly 3 meters from the home of Teiji Tamaki, 68. They landed in a space between the home and a cemetery, about 100 meters from the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in central Okinawa.
The prefectural government and Ginowan police were inquiring into the accident with U.S. forces based in Okinawa.
Marines said the bags are used to carry clothing and equipment. They also said they want the cause to be thoroughly investigated.
The Futenma base has about 60 aircraft, including large helicopters.