TOKYO, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- A Japanese Self-Defense Force (SDF) helicopter crashed near an elementary school in Saga Prefecture, in the northwest part of the island of Kyushu, local media said Monday.

According to public broadcaster NHK, the Saga Prefectural Police Headquarters received information that an SDF helicopter had crashed near the the Chiyoda Chubu Elementary School in Kanzaki-shi at around 4:45 p.m. local time (0745 GMT).