Mother of ‘Runa’’s Statement of Opinion at Kobe District Court

Extract from NEWS Post Seven via Yahoo! Japan

November 3 2026

KOBE – 16-year-old Runa (pseudonym), who was arrested and detained on suspicion of abusing a user at a facility for persons with disabilities in Hyogo Prefecture. Following her release, Runa suffered from a persistent eating disorder and subsequently passed away. On October 21, the first oral argument session was held in a state redress lawsuit filed by her surviving family against the national and prefectural governments. 

At the Kobe District Court, Runa’s mother began her statement of opinion:

“What I want to convey is that, as human beings, every single life must be protected and valued equally—whether a person has a disability or not, and whether they are receiving support or providing it. There is no difference in the preciousness of those lives.

To listen to each individual’s voice, value their will, and protect their life and dignity—that is the essence of welfare that I have always cherished. In the welfare work my daughter and I engaged in, we never used physical restraint.”

After graduating from junior high school, Runa worked at a welfare facility for persons with disabilities where her mother served as chairperson, dedicating herself to welfare work. Speaking also as a “welfare professional,” her mother said:

“As chairperson, I raised my daughter strictly. I never praised her even once. Today, as her mother and as a professional who watched her provide support, I say this: The care my daughter provided was wonderful. I am stating now in this courtroom the words I was unable to tell her while she was alive.”

She also addressed the authorities who investigated Runa.

“I believed that the police and prosecution were in a position to help people and protect their lives and human rights. Was my daughter not a human being who deserved to be protected? Even when someone falls under suspicion, please do not forget to listen to their voice and protect their life and dignity.

The principle of valuing people gains true meaning only when it is reflected in how we treat the single individual right in front of us, rather than being merely stated in words. Furthermore, please confront the issue known as ‘hostage justice.’…My daughter said that if she hadn’t done anything wrong, she wanted them to apologize. And she said, ‘If they apologize, I can truly forgive them.’ These are my daughter’s own words. If my daughter did nothing wrong, please apologize to her.

My daughter possessed a forgiving heart. Through her daily life in welfare work, she learned to admit mistakes, offer apologies, face others, and forgive. I feel the same way. If they acknowledge the facts, face their responsibility, and apologize to my daughter, I will forgive them…Forgiving does not mean pretending that what happened to my daughter never took place. It means verifying what happened, admitting mistakes if there were any, apologizing, taking responsibility, and making amends. And then showing what will be changed so that the same suffering is not repeated.

To think together about what comes next—that is the essence of welfare that my daughter and I have held dear. I am not standing here to insult or hurt anyone. I am standing here so that no more people have to endure such painful experiences.”