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New Year Rice Cakes Japan Deaths

New Year Rice Cakes Japan Deaths - At least six people have choked to death in Tokyo after eating traditional sticky rice cakes to celebrate the New Year, Japanese officials said.

The New Year period is one of Japan's biggest holidays and it is traditional to cook a special soup containing sticky rice cakes, known as mochi.

Fire department officials say this New Year they have reports of at least six people choking to death from eating the rice cakes in Tokyo alone.

Five others survived but are in a serious condition.

The victims were all in their 70s or older.

Every year many Japanese people die from eating mochi, with authorities repeatedly advising people to cut the cakes into small pieces before eating them.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/03/3105595.htm?section=justin

New Year Rice Cakes Japan Deaths

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