On January 31, 2025, rescue operations to save a 74-year-old truck driver trapped in a massive sinkhole in Yashio City, Saitama Prefecture, have entered a fourth day, as rescuers grapple with unstable ground conditions and the growing hazards of the situation. The sinkhole, which appeared suddenly during the morning rush hour on January 28, has become a focal point of national attention as the driver remains missing.
The sinkhole was initially reported to be about 10 meters wide and 5 meters deep but has since expanded to double its size after merging with another nearby collapse. According to Yoshifumi Hashiguchi, an official from the Yashio fire department, the driver last communicated with rescue teams on the afternoon of the incident, but contact was lost as the truck became increasingly buried by soil and debris.
Television footage captured the disastrous scene, with asphalt roads cracking and collapsing, carrying along billboards and other infrastructure. This visually alarming situation reflects the serious dangers faced by emergency crews, who have encountered significant obstacles due to hollow spaces developing beneath the already unstable ground.
Rescue teams have employed cranes to attempt to lift the truck from the sinkhole but have only been able to recover the loading platform, leaving the cabin—and the driver—trapped below. Additional efforts, including attempts to remove sediment and clear the surrounding area, have proven unsuccessful. A drone was sent to explore potential access points for rescuers, but no advancements were made.
Officials partaking in the rescue operations suspect the sinkhole’s emergence may be related to corrosion of the sewerage system, primarily attributed to strong acids passing through the pipes. "Corrosion likely created the large void beneath the road surface, contributing to the collapse," noted Jun Uehara, a representative of the Saitama prefectural sewer system.
The damaged sewer pipe is approximately 40 years old, and it had passed its last inspection—mandated every five years—without any identified issues. Following the sinkhole incident and the recognition of the aging infrastructure's risks, the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry has initiated nationwide inspections of sewer systems throughout Japan.
Adding to the crisis, local authorities have requested around 1.2 million residents to reduce water usage by cutting back on showers and laundry, aiming to minimize leakage of sewage, which might complicate rescue efforts. This intervention highlights the potential public health crisis connected to the infrastructure failure.
Japan’s infrastructure is facing significant scrutiny as the rapid economic development of the 1960s and 1970s left many public services, including sewer systems, aging and potentially vulnerable to such unforeseen catastrophes. National attention has shifted to how such incidents could reoccur if preventive measures are not taken.
With the rescue operation continuing amid fears of additional collapses, the community remains hopeful for the truck driver's safe recovery. Updating the public frequently, officials have emphasized the importance of both safety and thorough investigation to prevent future incidents.