Family of driver killed in Yashio road collapse sues Saitama for 125 million yen
In short
The family of a truck driver, 74 at the time, who died after his truck fell into a collapsed road in Yashio, Saitama, in January 2025 has sued Saitama Prefecture for about 125 million yen. The suit was filed at Saitama District Court, dated 28 July, and became known on 21 October. Governor Motohiro Omino said the prefecture is examining the complaint and will respond appropriately.
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The family of a truck driver who died when a road collapsed in Yashio, Saitama Prefecture, in January 2025 has sued the prefecture for about 125 million yen in damages, several outlets reported. The suit was filed at Saitama District Court. It is dated 28 July and became known on 21 October. The driver was 74 at the time. [ 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 12 ]
According to Yomiuri, Asahi, Nippon TV and Mainichi, the plaintiffs are the driver's three children. The complaint argues that the sewer pipe under the site, which the prefecture manages, lacked the safety it should normally have. Sankei, Nikkei and Asahi report that it cites corrosion by hydrogen sulfide. The plaintiffs seek compensation including solatium payments. [ 2 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 12 ]
The complaint calls the accident historically unprecedented and tragic. Sankei and Asahi say it states that the driver took great care in his work each day to avoid accidents, and Asahi adds that he had more than 21 years as a driver. Sankei and Nikkei say it states that the man was reported to be able to converse right after the accident, but that the rescue was difficult and the family could not even confirm whether he was alive. The plaintiffs describe their mental anxiety and psychological pain as enormous. [ 2 , 7 , 9 ]
Nikkei reports that the accident occurred on 28 January 2025 and that police and fire crews found the driver's body on 2 May of that year inside the cab section of the truck, which had fallen into the sewer pipe. Mainichi says the cab was about 10 metres underground and that finding the body took more than three months. [ 7 , 12 ]
Yomiuri and Mainichi say the collapse is believed to have been caused by deterioration of the sewer pipe, with soil flowing into the gaps and leaving a cavity in the ground. A committee set up by the prefecture released a report in February. TBS says it concluded the collapse was considered to be caused by a sewer pipe corroded by hydrogen sulfide. Yomiuri says it found the prefecture missed progressing concrete corrosion at an inspection in February 2022. Asahi says the committee held that it was difficult for the prefecture, which carried out the inspection, to prevent the accident. [ 4 , 6 , 9 , 12 ]
Governor Motohiro Omino said the prefecture is examining the complaint and will respond appropriately. In a statement reported by Nippon TV, the prefecture offered condolences to the person who died and sympathy to the family and others concerned, and said it is examining the complaint. [ 2 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 12 ]
Why it matters
The suit puts the prefecture's management of the sewer pipe under the road before a court, after a prefectural committee reported on the cause of the collapse in February. The documents give no hearing dates or other next steps.
Key facts
- The bereaved family sued Saitama Prefecture at Saitama District Court, seeking about 125 million yen in damages. [ 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 12 ]
- The suit is dated 28 July and became known on 21 October. [ 2 , 7 , 9 , 12 ]
- The plaintiffs are the driver's three children. [ 6 , 9 , 10 , 12 ]
- The driver, 74 at the time, died after his truck fell into the collapsed road in Yashio in January 2025. [ 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 12 ]
- The complaint says the sewer pipe under the site, managed by the prefecture, lacked the safety it should normally have. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 9 , 10 ]
- Governor Motohiro Omino said the prefecture is examining the complaint and will respond appropriately. [ 2 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 12 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The driver's family filed suit against Saitama Prefecture at Saitama District Court seeking about 125 million yen in damages. [ 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 12 ]
- The complaint is dated 28 July, and the filing became known on 21 October. [ 2 , 7 , 9 , 12 ]
- The plaintiffs argue that the sewer pipe under the road, managed by the prefecture, lacked the safety it should normally have; several outlets say the complaint cites corrosion by hydrogen sulfide. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]
- The plaintiffs are the driver's three children. [ 6 , 9 , 10 , 12 ]
- The prefecture said it is examining the complaint and will respond appropriately. [ 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 12 ]
Still unclear
- How the February prefectural committee report assessed the prefecture's responsibility. Yomiuri says the report found the prefecture missed progressing concrete corrosion at its February 2022 inspection, while Asahi says it held that it was difficult for the prefecture, which carried out the inspection, to prevent the accident.
- Whether the plaintiffs' claims of unsafe pipe management and mental suffering will be upheld. These are allegations in the complaint, and the prefecture said it is still examining it.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Tokyo Shimbun's headline reports on 20 October that the family sued the prefecture for 125 million yen. [ 1 ]
- On 21 October, Sankei Shimbun reports that the suit, dated 28 July, became known that day. [ 2 ]
- NHK reports on 21 October that the family sued the prefecture. [ 11 ]
- Mainichi Shimbun reports the suit and the governor's comment of 21 October. [ 12 ]