Helicopter window falls on school

The window of a US helicopter just fell on a school in Okinawa, Japan, slightly injuring a student, according to Kyodo news agency on December 13.

The southern island of Okinawa is home to the largest US military presence in Japan. In recent years, there have been a number of incidents that have led to protests against the presence of US bases.

Window falls from CH-53E helicopter. Illustration photo: Reuters

Reuters news agency quoted Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga as saying that "an accident like this causes anxiety not only for those related to the school but also for the people of Okinawa".

The US military also confirmed in a statement that a window from one of the helicopters fell onto the sports field of an elementary school outside Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.

"We have taken this report extremely seriously and are working closely with local authorities to investigate the cause of the accident," the statement said. "This is an unfortunate incident and we apologize for the concern it has caused to the public."

The US military presence in Okinawa is a key part of the postwar security alliance between the two countries.

The Futenma base is located in the middle of a residential area, with many schools, shops and hospitals. Local residents have long worried about potential accidents.

Last October, another US military helicopter crashed and burst into flames in northern Okinawa. A month later, a drunken US serviceman caused a fatal traffic accident on the island. The US military subsequently banned all troops stationed in Japan from drinking alcohol.

According to VNN