Safety Warning After Elderly Man Chokes on Mochi

TOKYO, Jan 02 (News On Japan) - An elderly man in Tokyo’s Itabashi Ward died on New Year’s Day after choking on mochi, prompting the Tokyo Fire Department to issue a safety warning.

According to the Tokyo Fire Department, the incident occurred shortly after 12:30 p.m. on January 1st. A man in his 70s choked on mochi at his home, and his family immediately called emergency services.

The man was rushed to the hospital by ambulance, but he was later pronounced dead.

During last year’s New Year holiday period, 19 people, ranging in age from their 40s to 90s, were transported to hospitals within the Tokyo Fire Department's jurisdiction due to mochi-related accidents. Among them, one person died.

The Tokyo Fire Department is urging the public to take precautions when consuming mochi. They recommend moistening the throat with tea or soup before eating, cutting mochi into smaller, easier-to-eat pieces, chewing slowly, and swallowing carefully to prevent accidents.

Source: ANN

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