Fatal New Years trend continues in Japan as 2 people choke to death on mochi rice cakes
Two elderly men in Japan choked to death on mochi rice cakes as part of a New Year’s tradition that authorities have issued warnings about annually.Eating mochi on and around the New Year is supposed to bring prosperity, good fortune, and longevity, according to Japanese tradition.
The National Police Agency and the Fire and Disaster Management Agency warn the elderly of their advanced risk if they participate in the tradition every year and encourage them to cut or slice the sticky cakes into pieces rather than trying to eat it all at once, which can result in choking.An elderly man in his 70s choked on mochi at his home in Itabashi, just outside Tokyo, on New Year’s Day.
He was taken to a nearby hospital but later pronounced dead, local TV reported.Another man in his 80s who lived in suburban Tokyo also died after choking on the cake, according to Japan Today.In the first three days of January, nine people were hospitalized.
Emily Anderson, a curator at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, told “CBS Sunday Morning” that New Year’s Day is considered the most important holiday in Japan, with mochi serving as an integral delicacy to the celebration.“Eating mochi is a really important part of the most important family-oriented day,” she said.Children and the elderly are often most susceptible to choking on mochi because of its size and stickiness.The Japan NPA and the FDMA advise that people avoid eating it all at once, or at least make sure that they have someone nearby while they are eating it.
The risk isn’t just present while the New Year tradition is ongoing, though.Nearly every year, mochi is responsible for suffocation deaths, typically among the elderly.
According to a survey by the Tokyo Fire Department cited by local media, 368 people were hospitalized for choking on mochi from 2019 to 2023 with more than 90% of them being elderly.Unsurprisingly, January saw the most incidents, with a staggering 142 being hospitalize...