U.S. military parachute falls onto children's center in Tokyo suburbs

TOKYO, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. military parachute used during a training exercise at Yokota Air Base in November fell onto the grounds of a nearby children's community center in Fussa, western Tokyo, local media reported Tuesday.

The Fussa municipal government plans to protest to both the U.S. military and the Japanese government, Kyodo News reported, citing city officials, adding that no injuries to residents were reported.

Strong winds blew the main parachute and a pilot chute off course after the U.S. military personnel detached them during the training exercise on Nov. 20, the report said.

The main parachute landed on the playground of the children's center, about 100 meters from the base, and U.S. military personnel retrieved it that night without obtaining permission from the city.

On Dec. 1, a staff member at the children's center found the pilot chute on the facility's rooftop, which was then retrieved by city officials.

The parachute drop exercise had only just resumed on Nov. 20, after being temporarily suspended when a U.S. army paratrooper landed in Hamura City, also in western Tokyo, beyond the drop zone at the Yokota base on Nov. 18.