Family Seeks Recognition of Baby, Made Severely Disabled in Utero, as Victim in Fatal Accident

The family of a pregnant woman who died after being hit by a vehicle in Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture, is urging prosecutors to recognize her newborn daughter Hinami, who was left severely disabled due to the accident, as a legal victim. Sayaka Togitani, 31, died two days after the incident on May 21st, and her daughter Hinami was delivered via emergency cesarean section but suffered brain damage from fetal hypoxia. While the 50-year-old driver has been indicted for negligent driving resulting in Sayaka’s death, no charges have been filed in relation to Hinami, as she was a fetus at the time under Japan’s Criminal Code. On September 2, Sayaka’s husband, Yudai, submitted a petition with over 112,000 signatures calling for prosecutors to also pursue charges for the injury to Hinami. At the driver’s first court hearing the same day, they admitted guilt and apologized, while Yudai emphasized the importance of acknowledging his daughter’s life and suffering. Episode notes: ‘(Update) Nagoya Prosecutors Urged to Deem Girl, Hinami, Born Severely Disabled after Accident as Victim’: https://barrierfreejapan.com/2025/09/04/update-nagoya-prosecutors-urged-to-deem-girl-hinami-born-severely-disabled-after-accident-as-victim/