It's been a year since last August, when my 17-year-old brother assaulted and killed his 6-year-old sister in Otsu City.

The older brother is said to have been a so-called young carer who took care of the younger sister on behalf of the parent, and Shiga Prefecture is strengthening support for child guidance centers and young carers based on the investigation of the incident.

One year ago on August 1, a 6-year-old girl in the first grade of elementary school was found lying under a jungle gym in a park in Otsu City, and her 17-year-old brother was accused of assaulting her and causing her to die. He was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and then sent to a juvenile hall.



In response to this incident, a Shiga Prefecture verification committee consisting of university professors and lawyers compiled a report in June this year.



According to the report, when a parent and child who had been living separately at a facility outside the prefecture started living together last spring, the person in charge directly exchanged information between the three child guidance centers involved. It was pointed out that I could not see through the risks in the home.



In addition, it is said that the older brother was a so-called young carer who took care of the younger sister in place of the mother who tended to be away from home. It has also been pointed out that there was no



The prefectural government has changed the child consultation center so that the person in charge directly communicates with the person in charge when taking over the child guidance center, and from this fiscal year, it has strengthened its support, such as providing subsidies to NPOs that deal with the concerns of young carers. .

Child center director "I want to always keep in mind that small children are in danger of life"

Norihiko Okubo, director of the Otsu-Takashima Children's and Family Counseling Center in Shiga Prefecture, who was in charge of dealing with the family at the time of the incident, told NHK, "I was 17 at the time, and I had an older brother who was about to turn 18. I could not foresee my brother's violence because I took it as a reassurance."



On top of that, he said, "I want to pay attention to the fragility of the family that even cases that seem to be okay at first glance can suddenly change, and I want to keep in mind that small children are always in danger of life."