A Japanese woman died when a man fell 12 stories and landed on her, and while he survived, police still don’t know if he jumped

A 23-year-old woman died in Japan after a man fell from a high-rise apartment building and landed on her while she was walking on the sidewalk below. According to Dexerto, the victim was identified as Houra Inaba, while the man was identified as 29-year-old Shinsei Taguchi.

Police said the incident happened in the early hours of July 19 at a 12-story apartment building in Nagoya’s Naka Ward. Taguchi reportedly fell or jumped from the building, striking Inaba as she walked with a friend. Both were rushed to a hospital, but despite doctors’ efforts, Inaba died a few hours later at around 5:30 a.m. from hemorrhagic shock.

Authorities are still investigating exactly what happened. One of the biggest unanswered questions is whether Taguchi’s fall was accidental or intentional. Police have also not confirmed the specific floor he fell from, leaving a key detail of the incident unresolved.

The case remains open as investigators work to piece together the fall

According to Japan Today, emergency services received a call at around 1 a.m. from a woman who reported that someone had fallen from a building and landed on her friend. Police said Taguchi remains unconscious, and investigators have not yet determined which floor of the approximately 118-foot-tall building he fell from.

Taguchi remains in critical condition, and there is no indication of how long his treatment or recovery may take. The friend who was walking alongside Inaba at the time was not injured and was the person who contacted emergency services.

The incident took place about 1,640 feet northeast of Yabacho Station on Nagoya’s municipal subway Meijo Line. Firefighters and police responded shortly after the emergency call, and authorities have continued gathering witness statements and reviewing the circumstances surrounding the fall.

Nagoya, where the tragedy occurred, is Japan’s fourth-largest city by population and the capital of Aichi Prefecture in the Chubu region. The nearby Meijo Line is one of several subway routes operated by the Nagoya Municipal Subway system, serving the city’s metropolitan area.

As of the latest reports, no charges have been filed in connection with the incident. Police have not released any additional information about Taguchi’s medical condition, prognosis, or the exact floor from which he fell, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Sadly, this is not the first case where a sudden accident has taken a young person’s life. A similar tragedy occurred when a 21-year-old woman died during a bungee jump after staff allegedly failed to attach a safety cord, leaving her family searching for answers after the devastating incident.