Osaka: University Student Falls Fatally from Building; 2 Junior High Students Arrested, 1 Referred to Child Consultation Center on Suspicion of Causing Him to Fall

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:14 JST, March 7, 2024

OSAKA – Police said they have arrested two junior high school students and referred another junior high school student to a child consultation center on suspicion of attempting to rob a male university student and causing him to fall fatally from the roof top of a building in Chuo Ward, Osaka, last month.

The two arrested are a girl, 14, a second-year student, and a boy, 15, a third-year student. The other boy, 14, a second-year student who was 13 at the time of the alleged crime, has been referred to a child consultation center.

According to the police, the three are suspected of conspiring to have the 22-year-old male student, from Kusatsu, Shiga Prefecture, whom they met on social media, come to the sixth floor of a seven-story building at around 3 p.m. on Feb. 12, to rob him of money. The victim tried to escape, and the three are suspected of conspiring to make him fall.

Police arrested the girl on Wednesday, the boy on Thursday and notified the child consultation center of the other boy on Thursday.

The girl admitted to the charge of robbery resulting in death, as she was quoted as saying, “[We were] trying to take money.” The arrested boy was quoted as saying, “I didn’t do anything that I had to be arrested for.”

Under the Penal Code, juveniles under the age of 14 are not criminally liable. The boy is expected to be referred to a family court.