Rice retailer hangs himself over tainted rice scandal

Wednesday 17th September, 03:38 PM JST

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Latest 15 of 44 Total Comments Show All

serindipity at 07:46 PM JST - 17th September

Suicide in cases like this are purely selfish...

Or an admission of guilt.
martyman at 09:38 PM JST - 17th September

No news here, another criminal commiting suicide to avoid admitting guilt. I wonder what his apology suicide note says? The real victims here beside the consumer are his family. They are left behind to fend for themselves.

I wonder if the man’s wife applied for a bereaved family’s pension and it be rejected on the grounds that he ‘‘interrupted his work at his own discretion’’ to avoid admitting guilt.
KitsuneYoukai at 10:11 PM JST - 17th September

Why is it that instead of facing up to what they've done Japanese would rather kill themselves and not accept the responsibility of punishment whatever it may be?
himasan at 10:47 PM JST - 17th September

He used a vacuum cleaner cord? Was it still connected to the vacuum, how would that work?
some14some at 11:19 PM JST - 17th September

one out of 90 to 100 suicides in Japan everyday, just he was rice trader and there has been panic about tainted rice being sold for human consumption. His suicide may work to govt's advantage, in the sense, govt my not release list of companies/individuals involved in food scandals in the future.
motytrah at 11:48 PM JST - 17th September

Most likely all the trading companies knew. Most agricultural commodities are graded and tested by both the seller and buyer.
tattit742 at 12:10 AM JST - 18th September

I think people over in Japan are very strict over what others expect of themselves/what they expect of themselves...like very strict on failing or succeeding. so its so common over there for people to easy feel SO guilty to commit suicide
ca1ic0cat at 02:20 AM JST - 18th September

I'm not sure that the Nakagawa company people knew of the tainted rice or not. If they didn't it would be an awful shame if this guy was distraught over something he was a victim of. He has shown remorse for the situation, which is more than you can say for the Mikasa crowd. That lot is still trying to come up with an "everybody does it" defense.

Unfortunatley the Japanese legal system is letting them get away with it.
rjdsr at 04:06 AM JST - 18th September

Cleo,

I hope your kids (and others that have unknowingly eaten the rice) turn out to be OK.

Me too. because that would prove the rice is safe and can be sold again in the future (we need the profit).
moderateguy2008 at 04:23 AM JST - 18th September

He hung himself , because he doesn't hav the guts to face the music. His family now have to suffer for his actions.
rjdsr at 05:08 AM JST - 18th September

Imports from China must stop now.

Our health depends on it.
chibaman at 06:06 AM JST - 18th September

Now added to the already-smeared family name due to the tainted rice is the further cowardly act of hanging himself to avoid the consequences

From a Western perspective yes. But here the ledger is square. While a cop-out solution, he's paid a price that any ill-gotten gains were worth. All is good. Carry on.
DenshaDeGO at 12:55 PM JST - 18th September

How about solving this the Chinese way? swift trial, if found guilty, immediate bullet in back of the head. That should make the companied think twice about endangering human health.

Excellent idea
Sammi33 at 01:23 PM JST - 21st September

My husband said that this is the reason they won't publish a list of the companies. Just because people think it's better to kill themselves than to take responsibility and try to actually solve a problem, we have to guess for ourselves if what we're eating is safe or not.
Blue_Tiger at 08:00 AM JST - 26th September

Suicide like this sovles nothing, and actually seems to bring further reproach on the family in cases liek this. I agree with your words, too, serendipity...