Man, 29, falls from building in Japan, kills woman, 23, her dad calls for murder charge

A 23-year-old woman in Nagoya, Japan, lost her life after being struck by a 29-year-old man who fell from an apartment building, prompting her father to demand a murder charge. The victim, Tomoki Inaba, was walking with a friend in Sakae, Naka Ward, when Nobunari Taguchi plummeted and collided with her, according to TBS News Dig and Tokyo Reporter.

Taguchi had initially lost consciousness but later regained consciousness. Tomoki's father, Kenji Inaba, expressed ongoing difficulty accepting his daughter's death and often wished it hadn't happened. On August 2023, Taguchi was arrested on suspicion of gross negligence resulting in death. Following his arrest, Taguchi was placed under psychiatric evaluation until January 13, 2027, to determine if he could be criminally held accountable, as reported by TBS.

Kenji, however, insists the case should be treated as murder, arguing that Taguchi was aware someone below could be harmed and proceeded unchecked. Nearly 300 people were observed passing by the scene late at night, according to Tokyo Reporter, citing TV Asahi. Kenji visited Taguchi in detention three times, during which Taguchi reportedly apologized and admitted to acting without concern for potential harm to the person below.

While neither TBS nor Tokyo Reporter quoted Taguchi directly, Kenji maintains the father seeks a murder charge rather than an accidental death. Legal experts warn that proving a murder charge would be challenging, as it may be impossible to predict if another person would be struck by the falling individual. Despite the legal complexities, Kenji persists in his demand for a murder charge, stating, "I don't want this treated as just an accident."

On September 21, 2023, Kenji initiated an online petition, which garnered over 40,000 signatures within two weeks, expressing his desire for a change in how similar cases are addressed in the future and honoring his daughter's memory.