There is growing concern over the safety of Japan’s traditional festivals following the tragic death of Akihiro Nabae, the deputy mayor of Saijo, who was crushed beneath a float during a festival on Saturday. This incident comes just days after two men lost their lives in similar accidents at other festivals across the country.
Recent Incidents
Nabae, aged 62, was participating in the festival when he became trapped under a giant float. He was quickly taken to the hospital but was later pronounced dead, according to local media reports. Fortunately, no other injuries were reported in this incident.
This tragedy occurred less than two weeks after a 51-year-old man was killed at a Danjiri festival in Osaka prefecture, where he was crushed beneath a wooden float. On the same day, a 48-year-old man also died in a similar accident at another Danjiri event nearby. In total, police reported that 16 people were injured across these incidents.
