Eight years ago, in a lawsuit in which a student died after choking on school lunch at a prefectural special needs school in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture, the bereaved family sought compensation from the prefecture. The prefectural government acknowledged its responsibility and ordered it to pay 6.6 million yen.
Eight years ago, Ikuka Hayashi (17 years old at the time), who had an intellectual disability, died after choking on her school lunch at the Prefectural Minami-Ishigaki Special Needs School in Beppu City, and her family said, ``Teachers watched over her during lunch time and prevented her from choking.'' They filed a lawsuit against Oita Prefecture for compensation, claiming that they had "neglected their duty of care, such as to prevent accidents."
In the ruling on the 1st, Oita District Court Presiding Judge Satoshi Ishimura said, ``Ikuka, who has an intellectual disability, has a tendency to swallow food without chewing it properly, and her homeroom teacher should prevent her from choking.'' "I had an obligation," he said.
He then acknowledged the prefecture's responsibility by stating, ``Leaving Ikuka-san alone during school lunch time was a violation of her duty to watch over her,'' and ordered the prefecture to pay 6.6 million yen.
Regarding the lawsuit in which the bereaved family sought compensation from school officials over this accident, a settlement was reached in July last year after the school acknowledged the facts and apologized.