Boy, 10, dies after disappearing from Ishikawa special needs school

From Ishikawa TV via Yahoo! Japan

July 2 2026

Ishikawa Prefecture – A tragic accident has raised questions after a 10-year-old boy attending a special needs school in Komatsu City went missing during class and was later found dead in a nearby waterfall.

Police have confirmed that the cause of death was drowning. The estimated time of death was between around noon and 3 p.m. on the day he disappeared.

The fatal incident occurred at a popular tourist spot that attracts many visitors and local residents during the summer.

Reporter Nishi:
“Many flowers have been left here at the waterfall where the boy was found yesterday.”

The morning after the incident, numerous bouquets lay quietly in the rain at the site, left in memory of the boy.

The incident began at around 11 a.m. on June 30, when the fifth-grade elementary student, who attended Ishikawa Prefectural Komatsu Special Needs School, told his teacher he was going to the restroom but never returned.

On July 1, he was found in the plunge pool beneath Jūniga-taki Falls, approximately 1.7 kilometers from the school, where his death was confirmed.

Police later announced the results of the autopsy, which determined that he had drowned. Investigators believe he died between one and three hours after he went missing.

Shinji Segawa, Principal of Komatsu Special Needs School:
“It is deeply regrettable that this has happened. I believe there were shortcomings in our response.”

Following the boy’s death, the principal held a press conference on July 1.

Special needs schools in Japan are educational institutions for children with disabilities, providing support to help them overcome difficulties in daily life and learning while acquiring the knowledge and skills needed for greater independence.

According to the school, the boy had a relatively mild disability and had no difficulty communicating. However, three years ago he had left the school building through the main entrance on his own. Since then, the school said it had strengthened supervision of students and ensured that doors remained locked.

Principal Segawa:
“We have consistently worked to ensure that children do not leave the classroom unnoticed. Whenever students move around the school, a teacher accompanies them.”

However, on June 30 only one teacher was in charge of the class, and the boy was allowed to go to the restroom by himself.

Principal Segawa:
“He said he needed to go to the restroom quickly. Since he was capable of using the restroom independently, we allowed him to go alone.”

According to the school, among the exits on campus, the emergency exit beside the restroom the boy had gone to, as well as a gate in the perimeter fence leading off school grounds, were both unlocked.

Asked whether there had been problems with the school’s handling of the situation, prefectural officials responded:

Kenji Shiota, Superintendent of Education:
“It may be a difficult judgment, but this student was someone who normally could go to the restroom alone. There are many students like that, and it is not possible for a teacher to accompany every one of them. Being able to go to the restroom independently and return is also an important part of fostering independence. Ultimately, this was a judgment made by the teacher on the scene.”

Governor Hiroshi Yamano:
“I have received a report regarding the restroom procedures. There had been incidents three or four years ago, but over the intervening years, decisions were made based on the school’s ongoing interactions with the children.”

The school said the key to the emergency exit that the boy is believed to have used had been installed within his reach. It plans to relocate the lock to a position where students cannot access it.