Kochi Court Suspends Prison Term for Principal in Fourth-Grader's Drowning

Overview

• A Kochi District Court on June 17, 2026 sentenced principal Hitoshi Nakamura to two years in prison with a four-year suspension after finding him guilty of professional negligence resulting in death.
• Nakamura was tried alongside three other staff members who were also indicted for the same charge and all were accused of failing in their duties to prevent the fatal accident.
• The boy drowned during a July 2024 swimming lesson held at a junior-high pool because the elementary school pool was out of order and the junior-high pool depth that day measured 114–132.5 cm while the child was 113.8 cm tall.
• Prosecutors told the court that staff had reported three near-drownings at the same junior-high pool about two weeks before the death and argued the principal received that report but did not change the venue or issue stronger safety guidance; the defendant acknowledged fault in court and said he failed to grasp the danger.
• The victim's parents used the victim-participation system to demand clear accountability, the school has put recurrence-prevention measures in place and restarted swimming classes, and the case is sharpening scrutiny of how local schools manage safety and facility decisions.