Vietnam reopens investigation into Japanese boy's death at Mui Ne resort
VOV.VN - The Investigation Police Agency of Lam Dong province has decided to reopen the criminal investigation into an alleged violation of construction regulations causing serious consequences following the death of a Japanese boy at Centara Mirage Resort Mui Ne in 2022.
According to investigators, the previously issued request for international mutual legal assistance in criminal matters is no longer considered appropriate, making it necessary to resume investigative activities in accordance with Vietnamese law.
The case happened Centara Mirage Resort Mui Ne on April 5, 2022. The Japanese boy, Hanawa Yukiji, 11, was swimming with two other children in the resort's lazy river pool at around 10 a.m.
About 35 minutes later, he was reportedly pulled into the pool's water intake system. Bystanders rescued him from the pool and rushed him to hospital, but he did not survive.
On May 31, 2022, police in the former Phan Thiet City opened a criminal investigation into the case which was later transferred to the Investigation Police Agency of the former Binh Thuan province, now Lam Dong province following administrative restructuring.
During the investigation, proceedings were repeatedly suspended and resumed while authorities awaited expert assessments and the results of international mutual legal assistance requests.
In early 2025, after receiving a forensic assessment from the former Ministry of Construction concluding that multiple violations had occurred during the design, appraisal, construction and operation of the swimming pool, investigators resumed the case.
In March 2025, authorities changed the charge under investigation to "Violations of construction regulations causing serious consequences" under Article 298 of the Penal Code.
The investigation was temporarily suspended again in early 2026 pending the outcome of international mutual legal assistance procedures.
In late May 2026, the victim's family submitted a petition urging authorities to expedite the investigation. According to the petition, more than four years after the incident, no individual or organisation has been prosecuted, despite the criminal case having been initiated.
Under the latest decision, investigators concluded that the legal grounds for the previous suspension no longer existed and have officially resumed the investigation in accordance with the law.
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