Woman dies and six hospitalised after choking on mochi at New Year
Japanese officials have confirmed a woman has died and six others have been hospitalised after choking on a mochi rice cake amid New Year celebrations.
Local news outlet, Japan Today, confirmed that the woman who died was in her 80s.
It’s understood she choked on daifuku, a small round mochi rice cake stuffed with a sweet filling, at her home in Tokyo’s Minato Ward at around 1.10 am on 1 January.
TV Asahi reported that while she was rushed to hospital, she was tragically pronounced dead on arrival.
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It’s since been revealed by the Tokyo Fire Department that six other elderly people, both men and women, were brought to urgent care after choking on mochi between New Year’s Day and 3 January.
Officials say that several of those people still remain in a serious condition.
Mochi, which are round buns made of soft and chewy rice, are traditionally heated in vegetable broth by Japanese families to celebrate Shōgatsu season.
According to the BBC, these bigger-than-bitesized-buns should be chewed thoroughly before swallowing - a task that can sometimes be difficult for elderly people and children to complete.
If not chewed properly, the sticky treat can get stuck in the throat, leading to suffocation and unfortunately sometimes death.
“Eating mochi is a really important part of the most important family-oriented day," Emily Anderson, a curator at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles told CBS Sunday Morning.
The recent tragedy follows the nine people who were taken to hospitals in Tokyo after eating mochi during 2024 New Year celebrations.
According to Japan Today, two of these people died.
In 2022, four women choked to death on the rice cakes, and 12 other people were hospitalised, as per CBS News.
It was revealed in December that from 2020 through 2024, 338 people were taken to hospitals in Tokyo after choking on mochi or similar foods.
More than 90 percent of those patients were age 65 or older, and almost half of the cases occurred in December and January.
The Tokyo Fire Department stated that during that same period, at least 33 deaths were linked to mochi-related incidents.
Health authorities have previously called for caution when eating the stretchy sweet and have delivered a fool-proof method to preventing mochi-related suffocation.
"Cut the mochi into small pieces that are easy to eat. Don't swallow it quickly, chew slowly before swallowing,” the officials said, as per People.
“When eating with infants, young children, or elderly people, be careful to supervise them as they eat. Before eating the mochi, drink tea or soup to moisten your throat.
“Be prepared for emergencies and familiarise yourself with first aid methods.”
For more information on mochi-related incidents, see the Tokyo Fire Department’s information leaflet.
Ella Scott