Overview

• The Fukuoka District Court found Shota Shinohara guilty of professional negligence resulting in death and suspended an 18‑month prison term for three years.
• Presiding Judge Yasuhiro Okamoto called the conduct extremely dangerous yet noted the then‑director proposed alcohol use and a culture discouraged dissent, so blame did not rest solely with the defendant.
• The case stems from a May 24, 2023 school barbecue in Yanagawa where disinfectant alcohol was poured onto a lit grill, causing a flare that ignited an 18‑year‑old student’s clothing; he died on June 6 from burn‑induced multi‑organ failure.
• Three other male students were also burned in the accident, according to court‑based reporting.
• Prefectural police sent case files on three people to prosecutors in January 2024, but only Shinohara was indicted and others, including the then‑director, were not prosecuted.