Hyogo Prefecture and Japan contest lawsuit over death of 16-year-old girl

A lawsuit has commenced in which the family of a 16-year-old girl seeks approximately 109 million yen in damages from the Japanese government and Hyogo Prefecture. The mother of the deceased alleges that her daughter was unjustly arrested and detained in June last year following allegations of assaulting a user at a disability support facility where she worked.

The lawsuit claims the arrest was based on false testimony. Following her detention, the girl reportedly developed PTSD and an eating disorder, leading to severe physical deterioration. Her weight dropped to approximately 20 kilograms before she passed away in December last year. The mother is demanding that the authorities clarify the legal basis for the decision to detain her daughter.

During the first oral argument, Hyogo Prefecture and the national government expressed their intent to contest the claims entirely. Kenji Ogami, head of the Hyogo Prefectural Police Inspection Office, stated that the police have determined there was no illegality under the State Redress Act regarding the investigation or the handling of the detention facility, and therefore requested the dismissal of the claim.