Even a Few Centimeters of Depth Can Be Life-Threatening: Learning from the Drowning Accident of a 3-Year-Old Girl at a Kindergarten in Eniwa City, Hokkaido - An International Comparison of Water Play Safety

Table of Contents

1. Overview of the Accident and Site Conditions

2. Mechanism of Drowning in Just a Few Centimeters of Water

3. Water Play Safety Guidelines in Japanese Childcare Facilities

4. Comparison with International Guidelines (AAP, WHO, etc.)

5. Staff Allocation and Monitoring Systems: Japan vs. Overseas

6. Lessons from Past Domestic and International Similar Cases

7. Five Measures Parents and Foreign Families Should Take

8. Technology and Policy Proposals: IoT Monitoring and Safety Education

9. Psychological Care and Community Collaboration After the Accident

10. Conclusion and Future Challenges

1. Overview of the Accident and Site Conditions

Around 10:30 AM on July 1, at a certified childcare center in Koganeminami, Eniwa City, 11 children were playing in a household inflatable pool. The water depth was approximately 2-3 centimeters, marking the first water play of the year. Two staff members were watching, but during a brief moment when they looked away, a 3-year-old girl was found face down. She was airlifted by a medical helicopter and is currently recovering.htb.co.jpnewsdig.tbs.co.jp

The principal apologized, saying, "I am sorry to the children. We made them experience fear," and expressed a commitment to strengthening the monitoring system.yodokikaku.net

2. Mechanism of Drowning in Just a Few Centimeters of Water

Young children have heavy heads and underdeveloped muscle strength to get up by themselves when they fall, so even a few centimeters of water can block their airways and lead to hypoxia within seconds. Drowning in children is often described as "silent & quick," with little to no screaming or splashing.

Particularly around the age of three, children are at a developmental stage where they are curious but have low risk awareness. The AAP warns that "children aged 1-4 are at the highest risk of drowning."publications.aap.org

3. Water Play Safety Guidelines in Japanese Childcare Facilities

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the Children and Family Agency have specified the following in their accident prevention notice for pool activities and water play (2023).mext.go.jp

• Avoiding Gaps in Monitoring: Separate dedicated monitors from instructors

• Pre-training for Staff: Emphasize risk recognition and CPR training

• Emergency Response: Quick 119 calls, AED use, and CPR

• Option to Cancel: Decide to cancel if adequate systems cannot be arranged
  
  
  

However, there are concerns that in childcare settings, it is difficult to exceed the minimum standards for additional staffing, and "dedicated monitoring" can easily become a formality due to being busy with events and administrative tasks.

4. Comparison with International Guidelines

*Edited from WHO "Preventing Drowning" 2023 edition.

The AAP emphasizes "arm's reach," requiring that toddlers be kept within a distance where they can always be reached by hand, not just being present poolside.aap.org

5. Staff Allocation and Monitoring Systems: Japan vs. Overseas

The staffing standard for kindergarten teachers in Japan is "one teacher for a class of 35 children aged three and older," but even with additional assistant teachers or temporary staff for water play, it often becomes "one adult for every 5-6 children." In contrast, the U.S. Child Care Guidelines (Caring for Our Children) recommend "one adult for every four toddlers."

The UK Ofsted also sets similar standards. Differences in labor costs and securing personnel are the underlying factors.

6. Lessons from Past Domestic and International Similar Cases

• Japan (2023, Osaka): A 2-year-old lost consciousness during water play in a basin at a nursery school → The supervisor left to answer a phone call

• Australia (2024, Sydney): A 1-year-old drowned while using a water table at a kindergarten → Facility closure and state law revision

• USA (2022, Florida): A 3-year-old drowned in a home pool, with the lack of a fence being a point of contention in court
  
  
  

All cases show common points of "short-term loss of sight" and "shallow water depth," highlighting the importance of the quality of supervision.

7. Five Measures Parents and Foreign Families Should Take

1. Check the Facility's Monitoring System: Ask about staff allocation and emergency protocols before events

2. Install Fences for Water Play at Home: Lock even balconies and inflatable pools

3. Learn CPR: Utilize municipalities offering multilingual courses

4. Enforce "Arm's Reach": Activities like taking photos for SNS or making phone calls can distract from watching children

5. Segment Water Play Time: Take breaks every 15 minutes to check for children's fatigue

8. Technology and Policy Proposals

• Wearable Heart Rate Sensors: Alarms for abnormal readings

• AI Camera Monitoring: Automatically detects children who have stopped moving

• Staff Qualification Renewal System: Mandate CPR tests every two years

• Additional Staffing Subsidy: Design a system to provide subsidies for additional staffing during water play

9. Psychological Care and Community Collaboration After the Accident

Drowning leaves trauma not only for the child but for the entire class. It is recommended that the school hold a parent information session and collaborate with school counselors to conduct PTSD screening. Providing multilingual materials to foreign families is necessary to alleviate anxiety.

10. Conclusion

This accident sounded an alarm against the assumption that "shallow water is safe." While there are differences in standards by country and region, the common requirements areconstant supervisionandswift life-saving measures. To bring Japan closer to international safety standards, it is urgent to strengthen the system through a trinity of legislation, budget, and education, and for parents, educators, and government to collaborate towards a "zero drowning" society.

List of Reference Articles

• HTB News "Three-Year-Old Girl Temporarily Unconscious After Drowning in 2-3 cm Deep Water at Kindergarten in Eniwa City, Hokkaido" (July 1, 2025)htb.co.jp

• TBS NEWS DIG "Three-Year-Old Girl Possibly Drowned in 2-3 cm Deep Water at Kindergarten Pool, Temporarily Unconscious" (July 1, 2025)newsdig.tbs.co.jp

• Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology & Children and Family Agency "Notice on Accident Prevention and Heat Stroke Measures for Pool Activities and Water Play" (June 7, 2023)mext.go.jp

• American Academy of Pediatrics "Prevention of Drowning" (Pediatrics, 2021)publications.aap.org

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