[Itaewon Tragedy] "I Want to Meet Her Soon" Tears of a Japanese Father Who Lost His 20s Daughter Who Loved Korea

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] "I want to see my daughter quickly."

Japanese father Ayumu Tomikawa (60) tearfully said this on the 31st after hearing the news that his 26-year-old daughter, Mei, had died in the Itaewon crush disaster that claimed over 150 lives. According to NHK and other broadcasts, he met reporters after leaving his home with his wife to head to Seoul that morning. He said that since June, his daughter had started studying abroad in Seoul to learn Korean, and expressed, "I believed she was okay until the very end. She was a lovely daughter."

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) announced that as of 6 a.m. on the 31st, the Itaewon Halloween disaster resulted in 154 deaths, 33 serious injuries, and 116 minor injuries, totaling 303 casualties. Among them, 26 foreign nationals from 14 countries died: 5 from Iran, 4 from China, 4 from Russia, 2 from the United States, 2 from Japan, and one each from France, Australia, Norway, Austria, Vietnam, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Sri Lanka.

Mei was one of the two Japanese victims. In an interview with Asahi Shimbun, Tomikawa said, "When I heard about the accident, I tried to call my daughter to warn her that it was dangerous, but she did not answer." He trailed off, saying, "I thought she might still be asleep, but I never imagined she was at the scene."

After hearing about the Itaewon disaster, Tomikawa kept trying to contact his daughter, and the Korean police answered. He first learned that his daughter had been at the scene when the police explained they had "picked up a smartphone" from the accident site. He prayed for her safety, but around 5 p.m. the previous day, he received a call from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs informing him that one of the two Japanese victims was his daughter, Mei.

The last contact Tomikawa had with his daughter Mei was on the day of the incident, the 29th, via the mobile messenger Line, where she said she was going out with a French friend. Mei liked visiting cafes and often sent photos taken at Korean cafes. He said, "She had been studying Korean continuously even before going abroad because she wanted to do many things in Korea, so I think she would feel the most regret." He sorrowfully added, "I never thought she would be at the scene or get caught up in it."

Tomikawa, who lived in Nemuro City, Hokkaido, is reported by foreign media to have arrived in Seoul via New Chitose Airport and plans to confirm Mei's identity.