Kindergarten bus driver held over girl's death

zichi True that. My wife used to see him everyday before the accident. Nice guy by all accounts. I hope we see him again but I doubt it.

Apparently the driver has been released without charge, thankfully.

Thanks Cleo, sure protecting may mean one thing in one country, but as for me, being Mexican, my father's idea of protecting us from doing something dangerous or stupid or harmful was a good slap upside the head, and if it did not hurt, whooosh!! Good belt on our sassy butts! So we all come from different cultures and this is my issue on how to show love and kindness to our our kids, ok??

Sorry, but letting a one-year-old wander into the road then dragging him back and hitting him is not 'protecting' him. Not letting him wander into the road in the first place would be 'protecting' him. The child does not deserve to be hit on account of his mother not being right on top of things.

Let me make it clear that I'm not censuring Jacqueline at all - we've all been there & done that, & hopefully learned to do it better next time (the obaachan was right) - just taking issue with Elbuda's idea of 'protecting' a child.

Mrs. Miyagaya I am sure you did the right thing, you are the mother you have the last word in protecting your own children! Ganbare!

Somebody already mention a "harness" and that was my fisrt thought. I didn't know they now sell them in Japan but I made one for each of my two sons when they were very young and very feisty... One day walking on a very large pavement in Sannomiya (Kobe) my elder son, aged just 1 and 1/2 at the ime, decided walking on the road was more fun. Luckily there was very little traffic. I told him to come back onto the pavement twice. The third time I grabbed him by the arm, dragged him back onto the pavement and gave him a nice neat tap on his behind. A little old Japanese obaachan came rushing over screaming at me "Kawaii so ! Kawaii so ! How can you hit such a small child ?"

Good comment Mex Fukuoka, we always blame everything and anything, but try to avoid the simple but hard facts, where the parents really looking after their children or just letting them play around and in this case walk or crawl under a bus!! Just so stupid and so crazy I can not even imagine this and I do hope and pray this never happens again to anyone. RIP baby girl

This case reminds me so much of the automatic revolving door child accident a few years back.

We can see the mother or father crying in front of the camera, and as always, the blame goes to the machine, driver, operator, manufacturer, designer, owner - and not the mother or guardian who is supposed to be responsible for bringing the child in the first place.

Yes Oikawa san, Tokyo is a big big city, more people more chances to have accidents right?? Go and live out in the middle of no where Nagano?? Niigata, very few people my guess less accidents, right??

ElBuda, there are lots of similar cases like this near near your place. It sounds like a really dangerous area to live!

The way I read the article, the bus was STOPPED, not moving, to let the kindergartener off and while it was STOPPED the infant crawled underneath the chassis. The bus driver would have been concentrating on the child getting safely off the bus, not conducting a 360-degree scan around the bus to detect whether infants were penetrating the perimeter of the bus' chassis.

Someone else posted that the mother had left the infant at the house while she went out to meet the bus, but the infant followed the mother. Most parents I know keep a close eye on kids once they are capable of locomotion. This one did not or she would have locked the door to the house, or locked the gate to the house, or AT LEAST looked back to make sure the child was not following "mama". Strike 1, Strike 2, Strike 3! You've allowed your baby to die!

In a similar case maybe up here in Tokyo an idiot driver FORGOT to check and see if all of the kindergarten kids really had gotten off the bus, and one little boy in the back had fallen asleep, it was summer time too warm or too hot after noon, the idiot took the bus to where they park them over night, the family called to ask where their child was, they finally realized he was still in the bus, but now DEAD, he fell asleep no one bothered to check ALL OF THE SEATS and now this little angel is I hope in heaven, so some drivers are stupid, careless, useless, but in this Chiba case, I also agree with many here, sounds like the stupid mother is at fault big time! IMHO

Spidey it is Japanese Law, if the driver didn't swerve onto the sidewalk hitting the toddler then i assume it was the mothers fault for not keeping an eye on her offspring.

It doesn't matter if you're 68 or 28...unless it is required by law to always check under your vehicle before pulling away (and I'm pretty sure it isn't) then how in the hell is the driver at fault?

Spidey

I saw a 1 year old the other day and thought, how can you blame the bus driver? A one year is so defenseless on its own. The mother is at fault.

I hope that being charged, investigated, and then absolved of all responsibility, proves to be therapeutic for the poor driver. What a horror.

http://the-baby-boutique.com/harnessbuddy.html

These are readily available for less then 1000 yen in ToysRus Japan. No excuse for a child darting under some poor drivers wheels.

Why charge the bus driver??? He is not at fault, why would he have checked under his bus. Do you check under you car before proceeding? No! It is the mother who is at fault and should be charged with negligent Homocide! She is the murderer not the bus driver.

Thanks Spanish Eyez, Samantha Zoe Aso,KJH0166!! I am not trying to scare people into taking better care of their kids, but well maybe I am?? But this horrible incident in Kunitachi Tokyo happende around a year ago, and at that time I had to go an renew my Japanese drivers license where I get to sit down, listen to scary accidents etc..because I do not have a GOLD Menkyou, like my wife?? Who has not driven a car in ages! But the point it, the police officer told us about a young mother, HOLDING her new born baby in her arms, while hubby was driving their car here in Tokyo, the baby should have been strapped into a child safety car seat, but no! Anyway, up the road, this guy slams on the brakes, the husband slammed on his breaks, oh the mother was not wearing her seat belt, the terrible impact with seat belts would have just scared the crap out of everyone, but NO, since no seat belts, the mother KILLED her baby, yes KILLED her baby with her body, since SIMPLE LAWS OF PHYSICS, your car stops, but YOUR BODY and everything else in a car, bus, train, airplane will keep on moving at the prior speed, so this young mother thinking her baby would be safer in her arms actually ended up killing here little baby!! After the police man told me this, I almost crapped in me pants! And had my little boy with me about 3 years old because he loves to see police and police cars and he always makes sure to let me know where the nice police men HIDING, so daddy can slow down, but dear god, everyone if you love your kids, SEAT BELTS, and LOCK yes LOCK the doors while driving!!! IMHO.

moms fault, not the driver....

Throw that miserable bus driver into the deepest darkest dungeon for the rest of his days !

Noone is asking for mothers to be perfect, just not lazy in looking after their children in the street. If they are not holding hands, they need to be on reins or strapped into a pushchair. Any mother who fails to do this, even for a moment is risking their child going under the wheels of a bike or car.

@Elbuda. What a terrible, tragic story. Reading stuff like that just empowers me to be the best parent I can be. Some people really need to get their priorities in order. I constantly see parents walking way ahead of kids. Really young kids too. Kids not strapped into the back seat of bikes. I actually witnessed an accident with a youchien mother whose 2 year old was in the back seat. As the mum rode up on the pavement, the little girl fell out and trapped one of her arms in the spokes of the wheel as the bike was still in motion. The poor little love broke her arm. You'd think that would make the mother concerned more vigilant and use the straps on the seat, right? No! This idiot 'birth vessel' still rides around with her children.....toddlers.......unstrapped in the bike seats. We had a devastating quake and tsunami this year and I know for a fact that some mums I know leave their babies and kids at home alone and unsupervised. Again, just speechless!

I agre with what everyone is saying that the Mother was negligent at THAT moment, but we dont know if she was the most attentive and careful Mother in the world and then just in that one moment for whatever reason her attention went elsewhere and the timing was incredibly bad luck.

I cannot and will not put my hand on my heart and say I NEVER let go of my children and I watch them at ALL times because it is simply not true. I dont not strap my 1 year old in his pram out of embarrassment because of his tantrum, but because he likes walking and I like to therefore give him that opportunity whenever I can. Of course I always hold his hand as far as is possible. But how do I know that in the 2 seconds I have made him hold the pram instead because I am reaching for a bottle of tea to pass to my 5 year old that he is going to suddenly let go of the pram even though he never has before and run 2 feet to the left where there just happens to be an out of control cyclist and bam! Suddenly I am a terrible Mother, negligent and deserve to burn in hell?

Like most Mothers I know I do the very best I can, but I am not perfect. I see many many Mothers all the time walking 20 feet ahead of their kids and giving them no attention at all. THAT is way wrong. Letting a child climb under a bus wheel is way wrong too. But - was the child really climbing under the wheels, or did she just slip and fall at the one moment the bus was pulling out and the Mother had reached into her bag for a bottle of tea? Was it pure ignorance or split second bad timing? We just dont know. We dont know if she was a gossipy, neglectful Mother, or a human one.

Elbudha, that story you wrote is so horrific, that it made me sick to my stomach. I hope that mother is haunted by that every day of her life.

On Topic: Seriously, how much work is it to hold your kid's hand or carry her for a quick minute to meet your other child on the bus. Or carry her with you. I'm sorry ,but I am dead set on this.

There are no such things as shortcuts in parenting.

Elbuda Mexicano, I don't think it really matters whay my name is? i was just trying to make the point that these things can happen to anyone, unfortunately there are bad parents all over the world, i don't think it is just in Japan, and with all the pressures of the modern, world it will probably only get worse. I was not trying argue with you. Luckily we have my parents where we live who help us very much, and a fantastic and gently Grandma when we are in Japan. Also i must add, i feel much safer walking with my children and also cycling in Japan, than many other places i have lived, but maybe that is just the area we visit.

Thanks KJH0166! Is this your name?? Well my dear KJ san, yes, I see you are also a parent, so we both know it is not easy to protect our children 24/7. But we must try, back in Mexico, the grandparents really help out if they are healthy to play with the grandchildren, take care of them for a few hours etc..but I feel here in Japan many grand parents care more about their stupid dogs, cats, hobbies than about their kids or grand kids, just dump everything on the MOTHER and we get abused mothers, abused kids, and these horrible accidents. The father is always away at work and if he comes home, dead tired or drunk, or both so the kids are just part of a game for the Japanese family, but sometimes things go horribly, horribly wrong like out in Chiba. But near my home in Tokyo, an idiot woman taking her daughter to the kindergarten KILLED HER OWN CHILD! Yes! She drove at break neck speeds to drop off her little girl, stops in front of the kindergarten, yelling at her child to get the F...out of the van, the little girl was trying to get out, and this idiot woman started to speed away in Kunitachi, but hit her own child and dragged her little body for a few meters, just to try and make it to work on time, but hitting, dragging and killing her own little girl!! Something is really really wrong with a society that allows this kind of crap! Only $$$$?? The hell with $$$!!!! We must have love, mercy, compassion for ourselves and for others, common sense no child deserves to die, Howz that my dear KJH0166??

Dear Elbuda Mexicano, i do not think you are a bad parent, i was just making the point that even the best parents can have moments of inattention or distraction, and sometimes horrible things happen. My daughter walked at 9 months and at 1 year she was quite capable of opening gates etc, i had straps on the 2 outside gates, but sometimes if someone visited the house when we were out, they would be left undone, luckily i always found this before she did. This mother and family will be devestated, and most likely no one can say or do anything to help, and like you said "I have no idea about this mother over in Chiba" no one knows the whole story at this time, but hopefully this will make everyone be that little bit more carefull with their children.

That's just crazy !!!!! I can't make any judgement calls. But the driver should not be at fault. It's the mother's fault.

She should be charged with " Child Endangerment " & " Child Abuse " !!!!!

Heartbreaking. I have 2 small kids. One of them 3. Even at that age, I try very hard not to let go of her when out infront of our house. However, she is strong and sometimes pulls away from me, then runs off. She can run fast too. I have to run to catch up to her, screaming her name! It happens (luckily not often), but I don't think I am a bad mum because of it. If a vehicle hit her tho, I'd just 'die' and blame myself for the rest of my sad life! But, a one year old? For me, that's still a baby! Most can just barely walk at that age. At one, my girl was strapped to me when outside, or always in my arms, especially when on the street. And our street was quiet, but still a street where cars pass. As others have mentioned, I have a feeling this mum was doing the mummy-gossip thing or was on her keitai. I too see it every morning on my street. Whatever she WAS doing, I'm betting she's regretting it now. I feel sorry for the bus driver. At one, babies should be 'glued' to their mums when on the street, and definitely not on the road crawling about, let alone near a BUS crawling about! Poor bub.

Dear KJHO166, look, it is not easy to be a parent, let alone a GOOD PARENT, I am not perfect, nobody is right? I hate cats! When my son was only a month or so old, I guess he was crying, it sounded like a CAT, in my dream I woke up to get rid of this stupid cat, this is the god honest truth, I picked up the cat, to THROW IT OUT THE WINDOW, it was I guess December here in Tokyo, very cold maybe snowing etc..I opened the windows, ready to throw this cat out the window, luckily the air outside was SO COLD it woke me up, I then realized I had my baby BOY in my arms, ready to thrown him out the window because I thought it was a horrible noisy CAT, so my dear KJH0166, what kind of father does this make me?? A very sleepy and deranged one?? A stupid one? A cat hater? Just thank god it was too cold and it woke me up, I have no idea about this mother over in Chiba, maybe she has mental problems? The fact is her baby is dead, so RIP.

OMFG this was at my daughter's kindergarten. So sad. As everyone's saying there is no way the driver is to blame, especially as they have a teacher on the bus as well to make sure the kids getting off are holding their mother's hands before the bus drives off. She must have left the kid inside and she got out somehow, either she didn't close the front door, or gate, or she climbed over a wall or something, who knows.. Anyway, RIP

kamala@

who in their right mind would think that a child would be crawling underneath the bus, when the mother is right there.

Amen! Let's hope we don't eventually hear that her cell phone was closer.

I don't understand how this is the fault of the driver, who must be gutted and will probably never drive again. I sense a suicide here. The age of the driver is not part of the equation. Why wasn't the baby in a pram? Sadstory for everyone.

I'm disabled and at one time had a 6,2, newborn daughters all at the same time. But somehow, I've manged to make sure that none of them were ever underneath a moving vehicle. I am sure that the mother feels absolutely horrible, I know that I don't think I would be able to live knowing my child died because of my negligence. The bus driver, regardless of age should not receive any kind of punishment; who in their right mind would think that a child would be crawling underneath the bus, when the mother is right there.

Nigel it is not a case of hindsight, it is a case of extreme negligence on behalf of the mother. Not an accident, but negligence leading directly to the child's death. There should be no way on earth the baby could have got under the bus without anyone knowing, because that baby should be held or restrained and within the sight of the parents at all times outside of the house. She was only 1.

I promise you Otani, it could never happen to me. I hold onto my children out the house. They little ones have to hold my hand, or wear a blackpack-leash, or go into their pushchair. I would never physically let go of a one year old child outside of the house, and in the house I never ever take my eyes off them at that age. I do not ever and I mean ever let go of a one year old child. Perhaps you do, perhaps it could have happened to you, in which case i suggest you take some parenting classes, but dont suggest that all of us are bad mothers.

I'm not counting on JT crowd to sympathize with the mother but according to Mainichi, the bus stopped in front of the victim's house. Mother went to meetnthe older sister but unfortunately, the little sister followed the mother and went underneath the bus without anybody knowing.

If the mother took her one year old with her, this would of never happened. If the mother simply stayed without meeting her 4 year old, this would of never happened. But then again, hindsight is always 20/20.

R.I.P it was an accident though...

Elbuda Mexicano, so after all the abuse direcdted to this mother, you admit that your own child left the house by himself, so if god forbid your boy was injured or worse, what kind of parents would that make you? Would you expect the same horrible comments and abuse you and many others have made? It seems there are so many expert parents who appear to spend most of there time at the computer, passing judgement on terrible incidents, usually when they don't even know the whole story. Just remember, people never think anything will happen to them, but id does.

Adam Brown,

Calm down. The courts are not involved unless the prosecutors decide to bring this charge which based on Japan's low % of arrests versus criminal trial, would most likely lead to release.

That's, of course there is more to this incident.

If the above article hasn't left out any important facts and this indeed all there is to be said about the case. Then the courts should be ashamed of themselves. How, in anyway can this be blamed on the driver. It should be blamed on he mother. I mean jesus Christ. It,s scary that the courts can do this kind of thing. There was no intent to kill, I assume he hadn't ever had problems with the law in the past due to he fact he's a bus driver And allowed to be close to children. It could have been anyone, you or me. Absolutely absurd! All they are doing is looking for someone to punish in or to somehow make it right.

@Yuritani. No it couldn't happen to anyone of us. No way would my 1 year old or 8 year olds for that matter, be playing unsupervised near a road with vehicles driving up and down.

@BlueWitch. Totally agree with you. I think we should send you out to talk to parents at youchiens and schools over Japan. Maybe a fellow Japanese mum can show them some common sense.

Just see a sad story, one that could happen to any one of us.

Readers, forget the thumbs. Don't even comment on them.

Elbuda, I have no idea about those day care centers in France but it seems to be a good idea. JT should remove these thumbs, they only create problems. If there were no thumbs then people would have to give explanations.

Good Morning Foxie, sorry my eyes are still too blurry, thanks for your comments and I really like your new cho kawaii kitsuen chan, fox picture. But yes, so terribly sad maybe Japan one day can have free day care centers like France?? I heard that in France the mother does not have to work nor have any great reason to take care child for a few hours, maybe some Japanese mothers are too tired, maybe they did not want to have kids, maybe the family pressured them, no idea but still we must really reflect on these horrible accidents, I wish I was there to STOP the driver and yell at that mother before this stupid accident happened in the first place, How I wish I had a time machine to go back and make all the bad things good. By the way Foxie, I really do not mind all the thumbs down, but I do mind NO EXPLANATIONS, I thumb some body down but I try to explain why I do not agree with somebodies comment etc..What do you think Foxie??

BLUE WITCH, I am so happy, that if I remember you are a mother and Japanese but we both agree, so many of the mothers, gossiping?? I thought they were just talking about the weather, or their kids education etc..but instead of actually looking after their kids, messing around with their keitais (cellphones) everything but actually pay attention to their own child or children, which I KNOW IS NOT EASY. I have 2 of my own, and my boy when he as 2 years old and my wife and I were dead tired somehow opened the front door of our house because he wanted to go play outside, luckily it was SNOWING, rare in Tokyo but it was SNOWING, he was barefoot, took a few steps outside, felt it was too cold, then I woke up, started looking for my son, maybe my wife was just breast feeding, but NO! I went all over the house and thank god, I found my little boy just in front of our front door, genkan?? He was just was happy to look and feel the snow, it was his first time, but I am afraid that if it were not snowing he would have tried to walk all the way to a park that is about 500 meters from our home and we have 2 big streets where so many idiot drivers are ALWAYS SPEEDING, but thank god, his feet were too cold we had no major accident. Sad but in my case a happy ending but too bad this woman in Chiba, now as you say Bluewitch, is trying to choose a black dress to cremate her little angel, I am quite sure I as a husband would never trust her again with my children so I would seek a divorce, ASAP.

The mother should be charged whatever the bus driver is charged their both of guilty of child endangerment. The driver is responsible for childern especial those in, on and around the bus, but the mother should be held accountable for letting a her child crawl under a bus.

I don't think the driver had intent to harm, why is a 1 year old aloud to be on the street.

@Spidapig24

So the poor bus driver is held responsible for the actions (or inaction) of the irresponsible mother. How was he supposed to see the baby crawl under the bus. What do the moronic cops expect, that the driver of a vehicle gets out and checks under their vehicle every time it stops just incase some stupid woman cant monitor her own children. The poor bus driver will have to live with this tragedy the rest of his life because of this woman's incompetence, now to make matters worse the morons masquerading as police want to charge him as well. Gawd this country has some retarded rules.

My sentiments exactly. But I'm not surprised by this. Total lack of common sense is a typical cultural trait in this RETARDED society that has some morons that prefer to look at their keitai, gossip or do anything else over taking care of their children. Then when the unexpected happens, you see them crying "crocodile tears"...why? pachinko, alcohol, etc will be their only escape from reality and they will STILL neglect the remaining children if there are any. In a country where you'd get more prison time for stealing an apple or pair of socks than for killing your own children, this should be of no surprise to people from other countries. It's something about looking good, having the most expensive handbag, brand clothes...something I don't know...something that is always MORE important than watching over their children. You would think news like this would open their eyes but it won't. Another day, another dead child due to gross negligence. life continues. this piss-poor and disgusting excuse of a "mother" will now have to live knowing she preferred something else over watching her little girl. Her "kawaii" little baby got crushed under wheels because she was too busy doing something else. Now this little baby is getting her little tender body cremated while this pathetic woman is choosing which black dress will look better on her in front of the mirror. She'll "gambaro" and her life will go on, the baby will NOT.

The mother was 100% at fault and she should get arrested for child negligence resulting in death not the driver. El Buda doesn't deserve all those thumbs down, things like these make me very angry too. RIP little baby.

What a joke! The mother allows her ONE-YEAR-OLD to go into the street and crawl under a bus, but the bus driver - who doesn't have mirrors mounted to see under the bus - is charged with negligent homicide! What did he do that was negligent? Is he supposed to get out of the bus at the end of EVERY stop and check underneath the chassis for wayward one-year-olds?!

As for the surviors of this tragedy, the only ones I have sympathy for are the bus driver (who ended a life through no fault of his own), and the victim's older sister (who had to witness what the tire on a multi-ton vehicle would do to a one-year-old baby).

In a just world, the mother will live past 100 and have every night of her remaining life interrupted by nightmares of the child she let die. Considering the care she gave to the victim, however, I'd wouldn't be surprised if she's already forgotten about it.

Yes SpanishEyez, you take the words right out of my mouth, and I agree 100% with your, this poor driver, no way in hell could he ever imagine that any parent would be so stupid enough as to allow a 1 year old walk or crawl away and get under his vehicle. I drive every day here in Tokyo, Japan and well I will be more and more careful if I see stupid mothers with their kids, well time to even drive slower more carefully just never know how stupid some of these mothers can be, and the little kids do not know any better, like letting your dog go run around in the middle of heavy traffic, dogs and cats have no idea that is why they get hit and killed by cars, this is WHY WE ADULTS must really, really keep our eyes on our kids.

This story reminds of why sometimes, when I see little itty bitty kids walking alone while mom is walking ahead, I want to throttle the moms.

Seriously, how could this have happened? Why wasn't mom holding her daughter's hand? I don't care if I get flamed, but she is responsible as much as the driver. Driver assumed mom was doing her job. How was he to know there is a baby UNDER the bus? SMH!

RIP little one.

80-20 with the driver more negligent than the stupid mom

@ goingoingone. Exactly. Weigh it up. Be embarrassed for a few minutes at your kid being safely strapped in or held as opposed to their little bodies being crushed under a vehicle. I know which I'd choose.And if it's too 'mendokusai' for the parents....well, they shouldn't have become parents at all. For me, being a responsible Mum ain't about what suits me. If I have to wake up my sleeping child to go out shopping versus leaving said child home alone, I choose waking up the child and dealing with it knowing my kid is safe with me. Holding on to a squirming, screaming child and taking them to a safer place, disrupting that interesting conversation I was having with a mate 8 haven't seen for yonks is preferable to letting said child run loose so I can talk freely. Endeavoring to ensure that any situation I have control of, ensures a safe and fun environment for my children. I will get my 'me time' when they ate adults themselves. Just because you can make a great bentoe and your kid goes to all the other after school/ youchien activities that his/ her peers attend does not automatically make you a good parent.

I wont deny it can be a problem to get a small child strapped in a pushchair, or safely, and a one year old can certainly squirm and resist. However, every decent mother tolerates the embaressment of them throwing themselves around or screaming for a bit, or knocks out their back holding them on their hips.

It is not like a one year old is impossible to restrain. There is no way she could suffer as much as that poor child, neglected so she suffered a horrible fate under the wheels of a bus. Due to her negligence the child only had one year on this earth, will never get to grow up and have a life like her mother has had. This pathetic excuse for a mother does not have an excuse for her uselessness.

How they calculate..? the compensation and how much it is...? Unfortunately the driver or the bus holder can not pay the asking amount.. then What is the punishment..?

Only recently we had the tragic case of the toddler in China. Thousands died back in March. Life is previous. Fate can throw complete curveballs at us when we least expect it. You'd think that something would be learnt from these tragic events ...... Yes, a child can squirm their way from you at anytime but if a vehicle is anywhere in the vicinity I make sure all my kids are by my side. My 3 year old would basically be in a 'death grip' hold. I am sorry to be so judgmental and I truly hate to be this way but after living here for so many years, I have seen so many lax parents when it comes to their children's safety. Beggars belief. I see mums stood around and just neglecting looking after infants and toddlers near main roads. I am sure the mother is in he'll right now bur I can't help but wonder if this is another of those 'avoidable situations'. If so, will the mother learn anything from this? I would have thought a huge earthquake followed by a tsunami would deter some Mums I know from leaving their really young kids at home alone. It seems not. In that case, I feel sad for the little girl who was unfortunate to have someone as a mother who didn't think seriously or have the logical thought processes to think forward.

they arrested the wrong person, the " female procreator" of this poor child. She is 100% at fault (at first sight and without knowing more about the case). She doesn't deserve to be labelled with "m" word. Unless it's moron. Totally feel for the poor bus driver.

In traffic accidents involving death or injury, less than 10% are indicted now. (not involing alcohol, speeding, red light)

source: 2008 Japan White paper on crime.

So the poor bus driver is held responsible for the actions (or inaction) of the irresponsible mother. How was he supposed to see the baby crawl under the bus. What do the moronic cops expect, that the driver of a vehicle gets out and checks under their vehicle every time it stops just incase some stupid woman cant monitor her own children. The poor bus driver will have to live with this tragedy the rest of his life because of this woman's incompetence, now to make matters worse the morons masquerading as police want to charge him as well. Gawd this country has some retarded rules.

how can you hold the driver responsible for this tradgedy?? mother not alert to what child was doing

I believe it's a Japanese formality to charge someone with negligence even though it would have been impossible to predict that an accident would or could be privented. I suppose if someone fell off his bicycle in front of a car, the same negligent charge would apply to the car driver. But that's the way it works in Japan. I doubt if he will be given any penalty other than a suspension for a while. Let's wait for more news on this. Parents should be more careful with the very young here.

This is why I will never drive in this country. I refuse to be arrested for another person's stupidity or carelessness.

Well, at the very least at least she wasn't hit by another truck afterwards, and then left helpless in the street while 19 people walked by, ignoring her like happened recently in a neighboring country.. :/

I feel bad for the driver, to be honest. Try as hard as he might, careful as he might be, the unexpected happens. It's not his fault that the mother/father/caregiver let their 1 year old crawl under the bus instead of watch them. I'm pretty sure that he would never want to hurt a child, and now he is paying for something that most likely wasn't even his fault. On top of that, he has to live with the guilt. I feel really sorry for him.

Ok, ok, maybe yes I did go a bit over the top Nicky and everyone, pimp slapping?? How about just a good slap up side the head for being so stupid as to let a 1 year old go under a bus, that the MOTHER KNOWS must then move to the next place, hence if a child, dog etc..is under that bus, they will die or be very, very badly hurt?? I actually agree that this MOTHER should be charged in this accident, no driver would ever even imagine a 1 year old crawling underneath their vehicle, such a stupid and senseless accident THAT DID NOT NEED TO EVER HAPPEN. RIP little baby

papasmurfinjapan,

Indeed! How've you been?

I do understand that physical ability deteriorates over time. But I just don't see how that would have made much of a difference in this case. The baby was under the bus, after all.

And that's something that needs to be clarified. The bus did not "strike" the child, i.e., the child was in the path of a moving vehicle. Rather, the bus ran over a child that was crawling beneath it. That's a very big distinction, as far as I'm concerned.

But in a broader sense, yes, I admit that a split-second of reaction time can be the crucial difference between life and death. So yes, in principle, a 20-year-old has a reflex advantage over a 70-year-old, particularly if we're talking about someone stepping into the path of a moving vehicle.

But then again, there's a lot to be said for experience and the ability to remain calm in a crisis that older people possess in greater quantities than someone who is younger -- hence the lower insurance premiums the elderly enjoy.

How either youth or experience could have prevented this accident is beyond me, though. Short of bus drivers (or any driver, for that matter) disembarking to do a visual check around and under the vehicle every single time they came to a stop, I can't see any way the driver could have avoided running over this child.

papasmurfinjapan,

Indeed! How've you been?

I do understand that physical ability deteriorates over time. But I just don't see how that would have made much of a difference in this case. The baby was under the bus, after all.

And that's something that needs to be clarified. The bus did not "strike" the child, i.e., the child was in the path of a moving vehicle. Rather, the bus ran over a child that was crawling beneath it. That's a very big distinction, as far as I'm concerned.

But in a broader sense, yes, I admit that a split-second of reaction time can be the crucial difference between life and death. So yes, in principle, a 20-year-old has a reflex advantage over a 70-year-old, particularly if we're talking about someone stepping into the path of a moving vehicle.

But then again, there's a lot to be said for experience and the ability to remain calm in a crisis that older people possess in greater quantities than someone who is younger -- hence the lower insurance premiums the elderly enjoy.

How either youth or experience could have prevented this accident is beyond me, though. Short of bus drivers (or any driver, for that matter) disembarking to do a visual check around and under the vehicle every single time they came to a stop, I can't see any way the driver could have avoided running over this child.

And, the mother?

Yeah, those damned old people are always underfoot. Because we all know 68 is the benchmark for instant blindness and the inability to operate motor vehicles (rolls eyes).

@LRFAgain,

Long time no see! : ) I agree that there was probably nothing the driver could have done in this situation, regardless of his age, but generally speaking, don't you think someone in their 30s, 40s or even 50s would probably have faster reflexes than someone on the verge of 70? I think fast reflexes would definitely come in handy when driving a school bus, don't you? I'm sure this driver can drive the bus just as well as anyone else under most circumstances, but can he get his foot on the brake in time when he notices an emergency? Half a second is a long time in a moving vehicle.

Elbuda Mexicano: Ummm, yeah, I have to agree with 'sakurala', your choice of words is probably over the top in this situation. This whole thing stinks, but no one planned it, I'm sure. Regret comes too late. Mom does deserve the bulk of the blame.

Tragic, even more tragic when it's totally avoidable. Even after living here for many years, still have problems understanding many Japanese parents' way of thinking when it comes to child safety. My wife and I noticed that a neighbour let her 1 and half y.o. kid running around by the side of the road and asked her weren't she worried about how dangerous it was. Her answer: "The car drivers are the ones who should be watching out, not my kids. They're just kids after all".

What I can't get through my head is even if they think car drivers are ultimately responsible for any accidents, why don't their self preservation/maternal instincts kick in and try to look after their/their kids own safety for heaven's sake? Yes, any driver should be careful behind the controls of any vehicle, but how would a bus driver know there's a little kid under his vehicle. Was he supposed to check with his under the car view mirror or something? I noticed that the kindie bus drivers around our area are always careful to check whenever they pull up or drive away, but how are they supposed to be expected to bear all responsibilities when the parents are neglecting their basic responsibility around public roads?

I have little kids myself and yes, you cannot keep your eyes on your kids 100% of the time, but public roads with vehicles on them is not the place where I will let that statistic slip to the best of my ability.

"Oh, by the way...The driver was 68!!! Should have been retired or assigned to some other task which doesn't have him driving a machine around tikes."

Yeah, those damned old people are always underfoot. Because we all know 68 is the benchmark for instant blindness and the inability to operate motor vehicles (rolls eyes).

The child crawled under the bus. If the mother who was OUTSIDE of the the bus didn't notice her own daughter crawling under it, how in the world was the driver inside expected to know?

This tragedy could have been prevented if the mother had exercised simple common sense. I mean, who lets a 1-year-old crawl around near a street, much less a bus?

I feel for the driver. This is truly going to haunt him for the rest of his life.

Why charge the bu driver with negligence? If anyone, charge the mother. The poor driver and poor kid. The mother... she gets to live with herself for the rest of her life. Mothers here NEED to stop chatting with other moms and look after their kids. I am getting sick and tired of reading about dead because because the parents aren't paying attention to what they are doing!

Just another day in Japan and just one more brain-dead parent to blame for the death of their own child. The mother should b charged with negligence. Who lets their 1 year old toddler just crawl around near traffic then "didn't notice" where they are? Pathetic.

Elbuda Mexicano: I am sure many do agree with you that the mother was negligent. However, stating that you hope the woman gets pimp slapped and lives in hell for the rest of her miserable life is taking it a little far. I am sure the death of her daughter will haunt her for the rest of her life. That may be where the thumbs down are coming from.

Sad story for both the driver and the parents. The kindy my kids used to go to opened up straight onto a main road with no footpath. I would never let my kids out of grasp until they got into our car. However, as much as I hate to say it, the Japanese parents were far less careful and there was a kid hit by a car there last year. He wasn't killed, so it didn't make the news. And, of course, the kindy has done nothing about changing the entrance to make it safer for the kids and the parents still let their kids run out the door unaccompanied. I feel mostly for the driver. I know the article does not give any real details, but I also know how careless and carefree Japanese parents can be with their toddlers.

massive buses

...actually, a much smaller kindergarten bus. But still...

Rest in Peace poor little girl. Personally I'm not that comfortable with 68-year-olds driving massive buses around the tiny little streets they have here.

Good comment jforce, if this horror had happened to some of the people commenting, imagine how you would feel reading such heartless comments, just remember people, you never think this sort of thing will happen, but it can happen even to the most cautious people, show some compassion.

It's hard to judge with totally incomplete information, however, IMHO one-year old baby should be (compulsory) taken care of by the parents.

The driver also sounds like an idiot, if you are driving a kindergarten bus, you HAVE EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED!!

Well, yes you should, but I dont think it is unreasonable to expect parents with young children to not let them be climbing under the bus when it is about to pull out, do you?

As for the Mother: yes, she almost certainly was negligent, and i am not defending her at all. She was almost certainly yakking with the other Mothers as I see every day in my area. HOWEVER - getting a 1 year old to stand still is no mean feat, and strapping one kicking and screaming into a pram is no mean feat either. She probably didnt use the pram if she was so close to home, and yes she SHOULD have been watching and it is VERY sad that she wasnt - maybe she is generally negligent, maybe it was just that one split second she wasnt watching and incredibly bad luck, but I can almot guarantee right now that she wants to die herself and will be suffering for the rest of her life. Nothing you or anyone else can say about her will hurt her as much as she is certainly punishing herself.

Ok, I am waiting for the explanations why so many downs, I am all ears, or should I say eyes. But the fact is this idiot mother was negligent, her child is DEAD, the poor driver may wish he was dead, just sad, sad all around mess. Why? I think because they, the ADULTS were not careful enough around small children. IMHO. RIP baby girl

Everyone has guilt in this. A horrible story all around. Not fair to blame anyone until the facts are disclosed, but I feel fro the mom and the bus driver. Poor little girl.

sakurala

totally agree and the mother's guilt for the rest of her life is punishment enough.

Poor little girl and the poor driver. There is no way that he could have expected a baby to be under his wheels as he pulled away. As Serrano has said, the only way he could have known is by manually checking, which would be ridiculous to do at every stop and still it doesn't eliminate the risk. It doesn't matter the age of the driver in this situation; only the carelessness of the mother was the reason for this girls death. I hope that this story will shock others to be more alert in the future.

"How is the driver "negligent"?"

He was at the wheel when the bus ran over the girl. Even though there was no way he could have known there was a girl under the bus without bending over and checking first. Even then the girl could have crawled under the bus as he was getting in and putting on his seatbelt before driving away. This is tragic. RIP little girl.

was mom careless?

She let a one-year-old crawl under a bus that was about to pull out. I think that counts as mind-numbingly careless.

How is the driver "negligent"?

He didn't check that no toddlers had been allowed to crawl under his bus while he was offloading his charges. You'd think he could count on the mothers watching their own kids, but apparently not.

I'm not getting this. How is the driver "negligent"?

Today the 68 year old bus driver, last week the 74 year old taxi driver....Is it me or is someone else here also thinking that all this official drivers a bit old they may have been skilled drivers when younger but as age creeps in, apparently not as good anymore. I think public drivers should have tougher requirements in order to be allowed to drive. Not judging about the mother here as I don't know...

Oh, by the way...The driver was 68!!! Should have been retired or assigned to some other task which doesn't have him driving a machine around tikes.

Police said the 68-year-old driver has been charged with negligent driving resulting in death

.

It doesn't matter what sentence the judge decides for this poor man.....his true sentence will be the horrific self tourture he has to endure deep within himself for the rest of his life everytime he closes his eyes.

The girl’s mother was also at the scene

.

How about charging her with negligent too!!!! They were near a bus for crying out loud!!!! What mother with an ounce of commonsense (I know it is few and far between in these parts) would let go of their 1 year olds hand when there is any traffic about let alone a bus?????? I too (as a few posters have mentioned) seen some dimwitted mothers (and fathers) not have the brains to think of what might happen in situations near streets.

It is standard procedure to arrest the driver of the vehicle when there is a serious injury or death. Whether or not the person will be prosecuted is decided after all the facts are gathered. I know of a couple people who were arrested at the scene, but not prosecuted after hitting and injuring (killing) someone with a vehicle.

Whatever the circumstances, the family and the driver must be suffering a lot right now - sending my sympathy.

Without knowing exactly what happened, it's hard to pass judgement, yes people love to say "watch your kids", I wonder what kind of kids you were. I remember when I was a kid, rolling down hills, jumping like crazy, "being a kid". But again we don't know the exact sequence of events or exactly what happened here.

The accident took place near the girl's home. Her sisiter just got off the kindergarten bus near her home, and the girl was struck by the right rear wheel as it was leaving. She apparently crawled under the bus. The mother was with her.

One thing I will add against the driver, or not so much the driver, but senior citizens in general, is their reflexes are not as fast as they were when they were young. I wonder if they are the best choice to drive buses that are going to be constantly surrounded by little children?

Its too early to judge or comment on this report as crtical facts are not disclosed.

was driver drunk? was mom careless? was girl covered under insurance and who benefits? have the driver shown care to take girl to hospital? do the school have wide road enough to park bus and kids to walk?

As the bus driver was held police are not that stupid as we may think. So wait till more info comes out.

As a father of 2 kids, I know it is not easy to keep your eyes on them 24/7 but this idiot Japanese mother, typical baka my guess blabing awaying about local gossip with other stupid mothers there instead of LOOKING and PROTECTING their young children and NOW a 1 year old is DEAD!! I hope this stupid mother is happy now, she does not have to take care of that 1 year old right?? I hope her husband gives her a few pimp slaps to knock some horse sense into her thick head. The driver also sounds like an idiot, if you are driving a kindergarten bus, you HAVE EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED!! This includes little kids doing crazy things and their useless mothers who have no clue or can not be bothered to actually protect their children. IMHO. RIP little girl from Chiba Ken and stupid mother may you live in hell for the rest of your miserable life.

This is a drivers worse nightmare, a little one steps out in front of your vehicle,horrific,shock, disbelief ,dispair,I have neve,r thank the powers that be, ever had to face a tragedy such as this. So many regrets, so much that should have been done to prevent the incident ever having occured.. Little ones do not foresee the dangers that we as adults are prepared for..I feel for the mother who wishes, if only I held onto my little one,so tragic,so sad,so unbelievabley painfull all round , at this time there is little to be said that will console either the mother or the bus driver

Without further details about exactly how this happened it is hard to comment, but from this article at least it seems like the bus driver really got a raw deal. On top of having to live with the guilt of killing a baby girl, he is being treated like a criminal.

If blame is to be laid anywhere, it should be laid on the mother of the child.

RIP little girl.

do not let go of your precious treasures!!!!!!!! hold their hands, strap them in.

Why wasn't the mother holding the one year old baby's hand, or why wasn't she strapped into a pushchair for safety by a road? I see this every day, tiny children dawdling alone, with no one actually holding onto them, their parents oblivious somehow to the dangers of cars, bicycles, and other people.