Car Crashes into Eastern Japan Supermarket, Injuring 14 People

June 11, 2018

Shibukawa, Gunma Pref.- A passenger car crashed into a supermarket in the city of Shibukawa, Gunma Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Sunday afternoon, injuring a total of 14 people including shoppers.

None of the 14 people are in life-threatening conditions although five of them suffered serious injuries, such as a broken hip, according to the Gunma prefectural police department's Shibukawa station.

Around 3:55 p.m. (6:55 a.m. GMT), there was an emergency call to fire authorities reporting that a car plowed into the Torisen supermarket in the Miyukida district in the city.

The police arrested Katsuto Yajima, the 55-year-old driver of the car, at the accident scene for alleged negligent driving resulting in injuries. Yajima told the police that he hit the gas pedal hard as he felt numbness in the right side of his body.

According to sources including the police, Yajima's car ran into the supermarket through its glass entrance. After traveling about 15 meters inside the store, the car hit a shelf and stopped.

Yajima caused the accident on his way home from shopping. The police will investigate whether Yajima has any disease and whether the possible illness led to the accident, investigative sources said.

An eyewitness said the car was moving at a high speed when it smashed into the store.

Takeshi Jin, 44, manager of the supermarket, which is operated by Torisen Co., based in the Gunma city of Tatebayashi, said it seems that the car crashed into the store without stopping.

"I rushed to the scene after hearing a bang," a Shibukawa woman, 22, who was in the store when the accident occurred, said. "I saw a boy lying bleeding on the floor, so I took him to a safe place," said the woman, a student of the faculty of nursing at a university.

Torisen operates supermarkets mainly in Gunma and neighboring Tochigi Prefecture. Jiji Press