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Japan Mayor Dies After Being Crushed by Three-Tonne Festival Float
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Firstpost•19-10-2026, 11:28
Japan Mayor Dies After Being Crushed by Three-Tonne Festival Float
- •Akihiro Nabae, the deputy mayor of Saijo in western Japan, died after being crushed under a giant float during a local parade.
- •The incident occurred on Saturday while participants were carrying massive floats weighing up to three tonnes.
- •Police are currently investigating the exact circumstances of the tragic accident to determine how the float collapsed or if he lost his balance.
- •This incident follows recent festival-related fatalities in Japan, including two deaths from toppling floats in Osaka and two deaths at the Naked Man Festival.
Key Questions Answered
Akihiro Nabae died after being crushed under a giant three-tonne festival float during a local parade in the Ehime region on Saturday.
The annual Saijo festival dates back to Japan's Edo period, spanning from 1603 to 1868, and is held to thank deities for an abundant harvest of grains.
Two people reportedly died the previous Saturday in western Osaka when festival floats toppled over during high-speed turns, and two others died in February at the Naked Man Festival.
