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A 19-year-old woman was killed after the vehicle she and seven friends were in crashed on a national highway after they left a Coming-of-Age Day ceremony in Ginan, Gifu Prefecture, on Sunday night.
According to police, the accident occurred at around 10:30 p.m. Sunday in rainy conditions. Fuji TV reported that the eight friends had attended a ceremony ahead of Monday's Coming-of-Age Day for new adults and were on their way to a leisure facility when the minivan they were in hit a guardrail on National Route 21.
Police identified the dead woman as Kyoko Yoshida, a resident of Kakamigahara, Gifu Prefecture. Four others were taken to hospital with injuries.
Police said the 20-year-old male driver of the minivan has been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving resulting in death.
© Japan Today
11 Comments
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Derek Grebe
What's a leisure facility?
Strangerland
That's sad, only a single day of adulthood.
quercetum
Sad just when her life was starting and coming of age. Per news, the car behind who witnessed the accident said the wagon had sped up to pass. Young ladies in Japan tend not to introduce the guys they're going out with to their parents who have no idea about their private social lives, whose cars they're getting into, or whether their friends might be responsible drivers or not.
kwatt
It seems that tragedy may come suddenly to anyone. Should have been more careful about such happy day especially.
Chop Chop
new adults First day of new adult life was end with tragedy. RIP Kyoko Yoshida.
I prefer to call me new old man when I reached 60s.
Disillusioned
They should give more details about the 'mini' van. Very few vans are equipped to carry 8 people. Most are 7 seaters, but they are not 'mini' vans. This 'might' be why he was arrested. My Stepwgn is an 8 seater, but I shudder to think how it would handle with 8 adults in it, especially in wet weather and at speed.
turbotsat
More are 8-seaters now. Unless Toyota, etc., are making models for US consumption only, that they don't sell in Japan. Toyota added an 8th seat in certain trim levels several years ago. Don't remember when Honda added a seat. Both are represented in this list: http://www.car.com/buying-guides/best-8-passenger-vans-10022/
Someone above said 'he sped up to pass'.
Bartholomew Harte
Whatever the cause , it's really sad when lives are lost.
Aly Rustom
exactly what I was thinking
Rana Sodhi
19 years old is a juvenile in Japan and I think it wasn't her coming of age day.Anyhow very sad that someone dies that young.RIP Kyoko Chan.
SenseNotSoCommon
The car was a Toyota Noah, which is an eight seater. Looking at the damage, I'm wondering how many were wearing seatbelts, which are only mandatory for front seat passengers on the likes of Route 21.
RIP Kyoko Yoshida. Shame (?) on the National Police Agency.