HIROSHIMA -- A company executive was arrested on Wednesday for clearing about 1,100 trees in a mountain forest here, which had been planted and grown by the forest owner, to use the area as a place for his paraglider to take off, police said.

Masaharu Hashimoto, 55, a resident of Hiroshima, is accused of violating the Forest Law and destroying property.

He denied the allegations during questioning. "I obtained permission from the owner of the forest," he was quoted as telling investigators.

Hashimoto used a chainsaw to clear about 1,100 Japanese cedar and cypress trees in a privately-owned forest near the summit of 837-meter-high Mount Amida in Saeki-ku, Hiroshima, investigators said.

He never allegedly obtained permission to clear the trees from the forest owner. His crime caused losses worth some 7.5 million yen.

Most of the trees were 20 to 50 years old and were left lying at the scene.