A Young Actress Dies Suddenly After Being Crushed by a 17-Year-Old Student Who Jumped from a High Building
A 17-year-old female student jumped from a building in Yokohama and fell on a woman below, according to Japan Today. The incident occurred around 6:00 PM (local time) on August 31. Both the girl and the 32-year-old woman were killed.
NHK, citing police sources, reported that the girl jumped from the 12th floor of the NEWoMan Yokohama shopping center, landing on the woman who was walking with three friends.
Both were taken to the hospital but did not survive. Police stated that the girl died around 7:00 PM, while the woman passed away around 9:40 PM.
Police also added that the student lived in Kimitsu City, Chiba Prefecture, while the woman was an office worker living in Yokohama. The woman who was hit has been identified as a young actress who was on her way to an audition.
The reason for the girl’s suicide is still unknown, but the timing of the incident is notable. According to official statistics, more citizens under the age of 18 in Japan commit suicide on September 1, just before the start of the new school term, than at any other time.
Last year, 513 children died by suicide in Japan, with “school-related issues” being cited as the most common cause.
Students who do not want to return to school are referred to as “futoko,” or “those who refuse to attend school.”
According to a survey by Japan’s Ministry of Education, the main reasons students do not want to return to school include family circumstances, conflicts with friends, and bullying.
The recent incident in Yokohama recalls a similar case in 2020, when a 17-year-old male student jumped from the roof of a shopping center in Osaka, killing a 19-year-old female student below.
The male student was initially charged with manslaughter, but the charges were later dropped.
