TOKYO 

A helicopter crashed into a forest in central Japan's Shizuoka Prefecture, killing the pilot, the Kyodo News agency reported Thursday.

The helicopter crashed about half an hour after takeoff from Tsu, Mie Prefecture, according to the Japan Transport Safety Board.

 Kotaro Demura, 46, was taken to a hospital but succumbed to his wounds, the news agency reported.

 It said high winds were recorded around the time of the crash and a local weather observatory had issued a gale advisory.