TOKYO, March 14 (Xinhua) -- A member of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Forces (GSDF) has been killed during a training exercise in the city of Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, the GSDF said Friday.

At around 6:45 p.m. local time Thursday during a training exercise in the Matsumoto Garrison, a machine gun weighing approximately 7 kg fell from a GSDF member on top of a 15-meter-tall training tower and hit another member, who was controlling training on the ground, in the left chest.

The 41-year-old male was taken to the hospital where he received treatment but died about two and a half hours later.

The GSDF member on top of the tower had been connected to the one-meter-long machine gun with a string, but it is believed that the string became loose for some reason.

The GSDF has set up an accident investigation committee to investigate the details of the incident. Enditem

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