Further Details Emerge About Burns Victim at Ishinomaki Facility for People with Disabilities

By Barrier Free Japan, Kyodo

September 9 2025

Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture – It was learned on the 9th that an accident occurred in December 2022 at Hitakami-en, a support facility for people with disabilities in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, in which resident Kana Abe (then 38) suffered severe burns and died while receiving bathing assistance. The water temperature was likely around 50 degrees Celsius, and Ishinomaki Police Station is investigating the incident on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in death.

Abe’s family sued the facility in February 2025, and the police are investigating two people who were in charge at the time, along with the person responsible for the site.

According to the facility’s accident report, at around 10:00 a.m. on December 30, 2022, Abe, who has intellectual and physical disabilities, was helped by two female staff members into a bathtub equipped with a lift, suffering burns including peeling skin from her right thigh. Staff members called 119 and she was taken to hospital, but she died on January 2, 2023. Her burns covered 60% of her body.

The Hitakami-en facility made a statement on September 8th:

“We deeply apologize to the bereaved family for causing this accident. We will work to prevent any such recurrence by reviewing our manuals and taking other measures.”