East Japan Railway Co (JR East) on Friday unveiled a stone memorial dedicated to a woman who died while trying to save a man from an oncoming train on the tracks in Honjo, Saitama Prefecture, last November.
The accident occurred at about 3:30 p.m. on Nov 24 at a crossing on the JR Takasaki line. The woman, Noriko Nakamura, 60, had gone onto a crossing to help the man who was crouched on the tracks. The 70-year-old man, who was a hospital patient, had received permission to go out for a while and he had been shopping at a nearby supermarket.
The train driver told police he saw the man on the tracks and a woman trying to help him up. The driver applied the emergency brake but it was too late.
Unveiling the memorial, JR officials praised Nakamura's courage, TV Asahi reported. Her sister said she was always helping people and that she did a wonderful selfless thing by trying to help the man in trouble.
© Japan Today
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Michael Craig
RIP Mrs Nakamura. A heroine in the end.
kringis
It is selfless, free thinking people like this woman Nakamura that will save Japan from its societal demise. If only more of Japan's pathetic youth were like this woman, the country would stand a chance.
kokosama
May they both rest in eternal peace.
CraigHicks
Sad, but very beautiful. Usually level crossing have an emergency button. Perhaps she didn't know.
Resurfaced
JR should put up their own laser guided braking system and that should decrease death on the rails. It should have been done a long time ago. This is another case of too little, too late.
Ranger_Miffy2
They both were hit and died? How sad! Why was he crouching on the tracks? Wish these stories were reported more fully. And yes, a fine and meaningful gesture by JR.
Mocheake
Wow, what an incredibly selfless thing to do. May they both rest in peace. Nice thing for JR to do also.
sensei258
Thank you JR.