Twenty-eight people died and two remain missing in water-related accidents throughout Japan on Saturday and Sunday, the National Police Agency said Monday.
Among those who died was a 19-year-old male company employee who drowned in Takahama, Fukui Prefecture, after trying to save a drowning 14-year-old boy. The boy was rescued by a colleague of the man.
A 34-year-old male truck driver drowned while swimming in the sea at Shizunai, Hokkaido, as did a 61-year-old male executive in Sampoku, Niigata Prefecture, a 63-year-old male driver in Nishi-Izu, Shizuoka Prefecture, and a 30-year-old businessman in Shima, Fukuoka Prefecture.
A 25-year-old male company employee sailboarding off Mihama, Aichi Prefecture, and a 42-year-old male company employee diving for seashells off Shinminato, Toyama Prefecture, also drowned.
A 41-year-old female hospital clerk drowned in a river in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, where she was having a barbecue with friends on the bank.
A 21-year-old male company employee disappeared while swimming in the sea off Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture. Temperatures on Sunday topped 30 degrees in many parts of the archipelago, which had rain due to Typhoon Ewiniar, the Meteorological Agency said.
For the seven days since Aug. 7, the number of water-related deaths is 49 nationwide, 36 less than the corresponding figure in the previous year, according to the NPA.