Overview

• Two elderly men, aged 70s and 80s, died after choking on mochi in separate incidents in Tokyo during the first three days of January 2025.
• Mochi, a traditional Japanese rice cake, is commonly consumed during New Year celebrations as a symbol of prosperity and good fortune.
• Authorities, including the Tokyo Fire Department, annually warn about the choking risks, particularly for the elderly, and recommend cutting mochi into smaller pieces and chewing thoroughly.
• From 2019 to 2023, 368 people were hospitalized in Japan due to mochi-related choking incidents, with more than 90% of cases involving individuals over 65 years old.
• January consistently sees the highest number of mochi-related choking incidents, with 142 hospitalizations reported in January 2024 alone.