AICHI (TR) – The parents of a 23-year-old woman who was killed when a suicidal man plunged from a Nagoya apartment building and landed on her have met the suspect in detention, demanding he face murder charges, reports Tokai TV (Aug. 31).
In the early hours of July 19, Tomoki Inaba was walking with a friend along a sidewalk in the bustling Sakae 5-chome district of Naka Ward when she was struck and killed by a man plummeting from a building above.
On August 27, police arrested 29-year-old Nobunari Taguchi on suspicion of gross negligence resulting in death. Investigators determined that Taguchi failed to take due care despite being able to foresee the danger his suicide attempt posed to pedestrians.
However, Inaba’s grieving parents refuse to accept the current charges. They argue that because Taguchi leaped into a highly trafficked area, he acted with willful negligence — knowing his actions could kill a bystander but jumping anyway. They are urging prosecutors to upgrade the charge to murder.
Face-to-face
Seeking answers, the victim’s parents visited Taguchi at the Aichi Prefectural Police’s Naka Station on August 31, speaking with him face-to-face for about 15 minutes.
Before the meeting, Inaba’s father expressed his profound grief and anger. “As a bereaved family who lost a daughter in such a way, we are filled with a sense of unforgiveness. I want him to tell us everything he knows,” he said.
Recalling the tragic night, he added, “I heard she was lying out here. I drove to the hospital hoping it was a lie, unable to believe it.”
“Deeply sorry”
Following the jailhouse confrontation, the father revealed that Taguchi offered an apology, telling them, “I am deeply sorry for taking your precious family member in this manner.”
Crucially, the father stated that Taguchi admitted he knew innocent bystanders could be harmed.
“When asked if he considered the possibility of hitting a pedestrian, he said he did,” the father told reporters. “That is exactly what I wanted to confirm by meeting him in person. He must live and atone for his crime.”
Police have not disclosed whether Taguchi has formally admitted to the criminal allegations, but they are continuing to investigate the incident as a suicide attempt.
