At least four choke to death in Japan on New Year's rice cakes
|
|
|
Tokyo - At least four deaths were recorded through Wednesday in Tokyo from eating a traditional Japanese New Year's treat, sticky rice cakes called mochi, a news report said. The men who choked to death were aged 59 to 83 and another 10 people, all over 50, were taken to hospital because mochi had gotten caught in their throats, the Jiji Press news agency reported. Although the danger of eating the cakes made from pounded glutinous rice is well-known, they remain popular. The Japanese prepare the rice cakes for the gods to receive good fortune in the New Year. The Japanese believe that by eating the treats, they also assimilate the favour of the gods. The elderly are usually most at risk, and authorities advise them to eat mochi in small pieces with a lot of liquids. Authorities also warn that the elderly and children should eat them only in the company of other people who could attend to them or fetch help if choking should occur.
Copyright DPA
|
|
|
|
|
|
Related News
Suicide bomber kills mayor, nine more in Pakistan - Update
Islamabad - A suicide bomber killed at least 10 people, including a mayor, Sunday in troubled north-west Pakistan, police said. The attack took place outside a cattle market in the Adezai area, located 25 kilometres south-west of Peshawar, the capita...
Suicide blast kills at least two in Pakistan
Islamabad - A suicide bomber struck a cattle market in Pakistan's troubled North-West Frontier Province Sunday, killing at least two people and injuring several more, police said. The attack took place in the Adezai area on the outskirts of the provi...
Taiwan man has been catching rats for mom for 24 years
Taipei - A Taiwan man has been catching rats for 24 years so that his mother can eat what she considers a delicacy at every meal, a newspaper reported Sunday. Hsiao Cheng-hsin, 37, a farmer in Houpi, Tainan County, is nicknamed Rat Catcher and is p...
Son's six-legged chicken project worries Taiwanese minister
Taipei - Taiwan's young are too sheltered, bemoans a member of Taiwanese government. One has to look no further than his son, who seems to think chickens have six legs, he says. Speaking at a seminar on education, former education minister Tzeng Chih...
Seven Afghan forces, civilian killed in NATO airstrike - Summary
Kabul - Seven Afghan security forces and a civilian were killed and five US soldiers and 15 Afghan forces were injured in a NATO airstrike in western Afghanistan during a search operation for two missing US soldiers, officials said Saturday. Seven A...
Seven Afghan forces killed in NATO airstrike: Defence ministry
Kabul - Afghanistan said Saturday that seven security forces were killed in a NATO airstrike in western Afghanistan, where NATO said that 25 Afghan and NATO soldiers were wounded during a search operation for two missing US soldiers. Seven Afghan fo...
Pakistani troops kill 12 Taliban in Waziristan offensive
Islamabad - Pakistani troops have killed a further 12 Taliban militants during the ongoing operation in country's restive north-western region, the country's army said on Saturday. Five soldiers, including two officers, were also injured in the clash...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
