Akita man dies after broken blade falls from wind turbine

Credit: By KEIZO FUKATSU · May 2, 2025, at asahi.com ~~

An elderly man died on May 2 after being found collapsed on the ground near a broken blade from a wind turbine here, police said.

Akita prefectural police are investigating whether the fallen blade caused the death of Takashi Shishido, 81, who lived in Akita city.

Part of a broken wind turbine blade in Akita (Provided by Akita prefectural police)

The fire department was notified about Shishido’s condition at the Araya seaside park in Akita city’s Araya district at around 10:20 a.m. He was taken to a hospital with a head injury but was confirmed dead about an hour later.

According to the Akita prefectural government’s clean energy industry promotion division, the wind turbine at the park was installed by Sakura Furyoku, a company based in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward.

In December 2010, one of the three blades on a turbine in the same location fell to the ground, but no one was injured.

A strong wind advisory was issued for Akita city on the morning of May 2, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, and a maximum instantaneous wind speed of 83 kph was observed at 7:52 a.m.

Such conditions make it difficult to walk against the wind.

The JMA said strong winds were expected to continue until the evening of May 2 in northeastern Japan.

The city-run seaside park, facing the Sea of Japan, features a pavilion for resting and paved walkways.

After the incident, police officers restricted access to a road leading to the park.

A woman who is a neighbor of Shishido, said: “He seemed to have a daily routine of taking a walk around his house in the morning. He was a neat and tidy person and often weeded his garden. I can’t believe this happened.”

A person involved in wind power generation in Akita Prefecture said it is possible that some of the blades on the turbine deteriorated due to metal fatigue.

“If maintenance had been done, such as inspections, it could have been prevented,” the person said. “If concerns about wind power generation spread, it will have a negative impact on the industry.”

Source: By KEIZO FUKATSU · May 2, 2025, at asahi.com

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