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Tragic Incident at Tokyo Sports Club Sparks Investigation
A heartbreaking incident has occurred in Tokyo, where a 6-year-old boy drowned in a pool at a sports club in Koganei, a city on the outskirts of Tokyo. The event took place on July 28, leading to a police investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
The child, who was in the first grade, was part of an after-school child care service when he entered the pool at Megalos Musashikoganei for a trial lesson. According to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the boy was found unconscious and in critical condition shortly after entering the water around 10:30 a.m. He was taken to the hospital but passed away just after 10 p.m. that same day.
The depth of the area where the boy drowned was approximately 120 cm, while he was about 113 cm tall. Although there were adjustment boards in some parts of the pool to help children stand, none were placed in the location where the incident occurred. This detail raises concerns about the safety measures in place at the facility.
Previous Drowning Incident at the Same Location
This is not the first time a child has drowned in this particular pool. In March 2024, a girl under the age of 10 drowned during a “kids swimming” lesson. The incident was attributed to a failure to attach a floating device to her, which led to her slipping from an adjustment board. The girl was rescued and taken to the hospital, but she was not in any life-threatening condition.
Following the earlier incident, the sports club operator, Nomura Real Estate Life & Sports Co., issued a letter to parents, expressing deep apologies for the safety management flaws. The company outlined several measures to prevent future incidents, including ensuring all users wore floating devices, reinforcing pool monitoring, and reducing class sizes for those requiring such devices.
Ongoing Investigation and Safety Concerns
The latest incident occurred approximately 16 months after the previous drowning. At the time of the boy’s death, there was an employee inside the pool, and a part-time staff member from the after-school child care service was present at the poolside. The MPD is currently investigating whether there were lapses in the safety management systems of both the sports club and the after-school care service, with potential charges of professional negligence resulting in death being considered.
Nomura Real Estate Holdings, the parent company of the sports club operator, acknowledged the recurrence of such a tragic event despite efforts to improve safety protocols. The company stated, “Even though we tried to improve upon the previous incident, another drowning case has occurred. We will strive to identify the root causes.”
Response from the Sports Club Operator
In response to the latest tragedy, the sports club operator released a statement on July 30, expressing sincere condolences to the family of the deceased child and praying for his repose. The company also announced the suspension of pool operations across all its sports clubs until the cause of the incident is determined. They emphasized their commitment to preventing similar occurrences in the future.
Key Measures to Enhance Safety
In light of these events, the following steps have been suggested or implemented by the sports club operator:
- Mandatory Use of Floating Devices: Ensuring that all children using the pool are equipped with appropriate floating devices.
- Enhanced Monitoring: Increasing the presence of trained staff to monitor the pool area more closely.
- Reduced Class Sizes: Limiting the number of children in classes that require floating devices to ensure better supervision.
- Regular Safety Audits: Conducting periodic reviews of safety protocols to identify and address potential risks.
These actions aim to create a safer environment for children participating in swimming activities at the club. However, the recent incident highlights the need for continuous vigilance and improvement in safety measures to prevent further tragedies.
