19-year-old college student dies after drinking party in Aichi

This has acute alcohol poisoning written all over it. He might have also vomited while asleep and choked on it. Considering the fact that this guy is under the legal age, some people are going to take the high jump for this. Let the hand-wringing and apologetic bowing begin.

I wonder if he had much experience with booze before this? My first (underage) drinking party left me in a bad way - it would be too bad if he was introduced to the turps in a 'let's get wasted' environment.

Sounds like this guy probably Jimi Hendrixed on his futon. Hard to find a culprit in this case. No search for fingerprints will be conducted, as you really can't dust for vomit.

this is tragic, but it could have been worse; he could have smoked some marijuana

at least he died pounding his liver with alcohol; the japanese way!

Isn't underage drinking a crime? Why isn't this in the crime section? I think I know why...

Succumbed to beer pressure. Be an individual and say, 'Hey, NO, I don't wanna get into the clique by death, thanks'.

Can someone here explain how they 'might' press charges? A kid is dead... one who was clearly underage according to Japanese law. If others, who were also underage, were drinking with him, then charges need be filed. I'm not saying they need be charged with murder, or that they forced the guy to drink, but they can't just let everyone off the hook for underage drinking when another of their group died.

Seems similar to a story I heard about a kid, who drank more booze than he could handle on his birthday, and was found dead the next day in a bathtub.

Btw, people who succumb to peer pressure, like smoking and drinking, are not all that sexy to women.

thedesertfox: You don't dust for vomit, you use an ultraviolet light.

i bet he drank" nihhonshu".that drink is deadly and will never try again

@cactusJack at 01:12 PM JST - 6th March

re thedesertfox

you really can't dust for vomit.

You apparently haven't seen This is Spinal Tap

Nigel Tufnel: You can't really dust for vomit.

Police said charges may be filed because minors seem to have been drinking illegally.

Another great bit of detective work there, Lt. Columbo. 19 year old dead after drinking. Legal age to drink - 20.

Hmmm, now let me see...is there any chance underage drinking may have taken place?

Oh, and just one more thing, sir...

@ANOTSUSAGAMI at 12:11 PM JST - 6th March @smithinjapan at 12:41 PM JST - 6th March

Crime? Files laid and charged? C'mon guys - 'This is Japan'!

Underage drinking is tatemae-ly tut-tutted, but it's a rite of passage, especially at university. Students - yeah, those wanting to be of the clique that forms the majority of the student body - is going to be pressured to drink, and often drink heavily, and even more strongly by some clubs and groups than others (especially those with 'powerful' reputations).

There will be some apologies, some public shoe-staring by uni admin, some short term rules introdcued or perhaps even bans mooted> But give it a few months and everything will be back to same ol' drinking culture, because, as we all know 'This is Japan!'

i bet he drank" nihhonshu".that drink is deadly and will never try again

KNown to foreighners as Sake, that stuff gives you a head ache as you drink it and leads to acting stupid and puking. Poor kid went out the wrong way. Marijuana would have saved his life, but drinking....duh.

why should anyone be prosecuted? if they held his throat open and forced it down him fair enough but if he sat there and drank himself into a coma unlucky but thats survival of the fittest. I feel sorry for his family and friends as its a pretty stupid way to die but prosecuting someone else for his inability to control himself is a bit harsh. If you can't stand the heat stay out of the kitchen.

Always put a drunk face-down, okay?

This is not an unusual story. It happens in America too. Peer pressure can destroy a person. Personally, I never gave into peer pressure.

Wow! Flash backs to Bon Scott and Jim Morrison. At least he doesn't have to deal with a hangover. Stupid kid! RIP!

He should have learned his limits at a younger age. 19 is too old to start drinking.

I feel that heavy driniking is associated with virility and strength in Japan. Strange: I love drinking, but ever since I enjoyed drinking loads of various alcoholic beverages, my strength and stamina (and IQ) are decreasing dramatically. Drinking is a dangerous game: do it consciously, but don't expect to become a "man" this way.

Seems similar to a story I heard about a kid, who drank more booze than he could handle on his birthday, and was found dead the next day in a bathtub.

Btw, people who succumb to peer pressure, like smoking and drinking, are not all that sexy to women.

Not unless they're necrophilacs.

Why do so many assume this kid succumbed to "peer pressure"? Perhaps he was the one who was pressuring others. He was 19. It isn't like he was a JHS student.

And like a few who have mentioned it already, the weed wouldn't have done this to him. I musta smoked a whole ounce last night, and I sit here typing still. Learn yer lesson Japan. Legalize it!

Can only agree with MeanRingo. Give up alcohol smoke marijuana be happy and not dead.

I remember after a nasty messy bout of underage drinking my mother telling me 'you won't do that again in a hurry' guess I didnt party as hard as this poor lad because I did, he won't.

An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the cause of death. Police said charges may be filed because minors seem to have been drinking illegally.

ha ha ha ... cause of death? since when are "peer pressure" and "lack of judgement" crimes? chock it up as a suicide and let it go.

Ethyl alcohol is a dangerous drug and death by acute alcohol poisoning is not that rare, it is just under-reported.

Most of the victims are males in their 30's and 40's.

People usually get drunk when BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) level reaches 0.08 and deaths usually occur when BAC reaches 0.40, but some people may die with lower levels. Victims die because heart stops beating, or breathing stops or they choke on their vomit.

Binge-drinkers should never be put to bed to sleep it off.

Tobacco will kill you in 20 years, but alcohol may kill you in few hours.

alcohol: class A drug. effects include aggression, loss of bodily control, vomiting. overdosing can lead to death or serious permanent liver damage

i shouldn't overlook the irony; he was a university student after all. what would be especially ironic is if he was the sort to be outraged by all the recent weed-smoking uni student "scandals" before embarked on his ill-fated drinking binge. tut, tut, eh? goes to show that scaremongering about illegal drugs does nothing to correctly inform people about dangers. weed is illegal so it must be horribly dangerous, right? alcohol is legal so it must be safe as houses, right? sigh