TOKYO - Passengers were evacuated from All Nippon Airways (ANA) Boeing 767 aircraft on Monday morning (May 21) prior to its departure to Hong Kong from Narita airport after the passenger cabin filled with smoke, Xinhua news agency reported.

The smoke began after the plane's doors had been closed at the gate. All 137 passengers on board flight 809 were evacuated back to the terminal.

At least four of those evacuated complained of feeling ill after inhaling the smoke but no one was hospitalised, an official said.

One man was quoted by local media as saying, "as soon as the plane's doors closed, smoke came billowing out of the air conditioner and the inside of the plane quickly became filled with smoke".

"There was a smell of burning machinery, so I covered my nose and mouth with a handkerchief," the passenger added.

Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism said an investigation revealed an oil leak had occurred in the auxiliary engine at the rear of the plane and smoke had flowed into the passenger cabin.

The ministry said there was no sign of fire.

A representative for ANA said they were also investigating the cause of the accident.