Newspaper articles of judo injuries resulting in death: 1984 2010 [39]
Junior high school judo club member dies; felt unwell during practice
The Asahi Shimbun
July 15, 2005
The Kurihara City Board of Education reported on July 14 that a judo club member of Ichihasama Junior High School died of acute subdural hematoma in the morning of that day. He became unwell during the after-school judo club practice on July 13. The coach said he did not seem to have hit his head.
The student who died is Tatsushi Nishiya (14), a third year student. The city board of education explained that Tatsushi had attended a match-type general practice including randori (free sparring) with 6 other members at the judo/kendo hall about 2 km away from the school on July 13 at around 4:00 pm. At about 6:50 pm he went to the water fountain near the entrance to drink water, where he collapsed. The coach who thought he was dehydrated took him back to the hall to make him lie down. At around 7:30 pm he noticed Tatsushi was snoring and unconscious. He was taken first to Kurihara Central Hospital, then to Furukawa City Hospital, where he had emergency surgery. He died at 9:34 am the following day. The city board of education said that since the teacher of the club was busy, as it was the end of the quarter, only an OB coach was at the practice.
No breach of duty of care; city support coach reaction when judo club member collapsed during practice and died
The Asahi Shimbun
May 9, 2007
The first oral argument of the lawsuit filed by the parents of a third year male student of Ichihasama Junior High School, who died after judo club practice, was held in the Sendai District Court on May 8. The parents sought compensation of about 81.44 million yen against the city stating that their son died due to the coach’s breach of duty of care. The city asked for the claim to be dismissed, stating that the coach did not breach the duty of care and that his emergency response was appropriate.
The complaint indicated that the student (14 at the time) staggered and fell to the floor as he walked to get a drink of water during judo practice in July, 2005. The coach assumed he was dehydrated and made the student lie down in the training hall, spraying water over his face, but later he fell unconscious. He was taken to hospital and had surgery, but died the following morning of acute subdural hematoma. The parents claimed that while the coach had the duty to seek treatment of the student who fell sick as quickly as possible, he failed to do it. The city stated that it was difficult for a coach, who was not a physician, to suspect that the student may have had acute subdural hematoma, and that there was no negligence of duty of care. “First-aid treatment by the coach before the student was taken to hospital was appropriate,” added the city.
Lawsuit on student’s death during club practice reach settlement
The Yomiuri Shimbun
March 31, 2009
The lawsuit filed against the city in the Sendai District Court by the parents of a third year male student (14 at the time) of Ichihasama Junior High School, who died after falling unconscious during judo club practice, reached a settlement. The parents sought compensation of about 81 million yen against the city, claiming that the care by the school was inappropriate. The city agreed to pay 5.5 million yen.
