[News Terms] The 'Akashishi Crushing Disaster' Resembling the Itaewon Tragedy

The "Akashi City Crowd Crush Disaster" occurred on July 21, 2001, in Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, when about 1,800 people gathered on a pedestrian overpass to watch a fireworks festival. The tragedy resulted in the deaths of 11 people, including 9 children and 2 elderly individuals, and injured 247 others.

At that time, the population density on the overpass reached 13 to 15 people per square meter. Generally, when density exceeds 4 people per square meter, walking becomes difficult, and when it exceeds 10, it is even hard to stand on one’s own feet. The cause of death for the children and elderly was respiratory distress due to full-body compression.

According to the congestion control plan of the Akashi City Police Station, no police officers were assigned to the overpass at that time. This was because the Hyogo Prefectural Police prioritized measures against biker gangs, deploying more than 300 officers for biker gang control, but only about 30 personnel were assigned for crowd control at the fireworks festival site. While 200 officers were deployed for sexual violence and drug crackdowns, the police response to Itaewon, where a large crowd was expected, was similarly lukewarm, resembling the Korean police’s approach.

On the 17th, bereaved families of the overpass crush disaster that occurred at the Akashi City Fireworks Festival in Japan in 2001, including Seiji Shimomura, visited the Itaewon Disaster Citizens' Memorial Altar set up at Seoul Plaza to pay their respects. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

After the accident, those responsible for security at the Akashi City Police Station were punished, and the bereaved families filed a lawsuit against Akashi City and the police station, winning a court ruling in June 2005 ordering compensation of approximately 568 million yen. The bereaved families of the Akashi City crowd crush disaster also suffered from criticism similar to that faced by the Itaewon disaster families, such as "Why did you bring children to such a place?" and "They got what they deserved."

On the morning of the 17th, Seiji Shimomura and Kiyoshi Miki, bereaved family members of the Akashi City disaster victims, visited the memorial altar at Seoul Plaza to pay their respects and shared their grief with the families of the Itaewon disaster victims.