24 Years Since the Ikeda City Tragedy: A Victim's Family Speaks of "Unspoken Regrets" and "Hope" at the Memorial Service, and the Evolving Path of the Security Business

On the morning of March 4th, many people gathered at "Niji no Kakehashi" (Rainbow Bridge), a memorial facility in Ikeda City, Osaka. It was 24 years ago on this day that a heartbreaking incident occurred at the Osaka Kyoiku University Ikeda Elementary School. The attack, in which a man indiscriminately wielded a knife, claiming the lives of eight children, sent shockwaves through every school in Japan and shattered the myth of absolute safety.

About 300 people, including bereaved families, faculty, staff, and local residents, attended this year's memorial service. They observed a moment of silence and offered flowers. One bereaved mother, among the attendees, spoke in a quiet voice: "Even after 24 years, my child's smile is still vivid in my memory. We must not let this incident fade from memory. We will continue to speak out to ensure such sorrow is never repeated." Her words resonated deeply with everyone present.

School safety in Japan has changed dramatically over these 24 years. The installation of security cameras has become standard, and many schools have implemented gate locking systems and manuals for handling suspicious individuals. However, as someone who has been involved in safety measures in this industry for many years, I am concerned that "safety in name only" is still often seen. For example, there are not a few cases where cameras are installed but the recording function isn't working, or manuals exist but practical drills are insufficient.

At this year's memorial service, what the association of bereaved families once again called for was "enhanced mental health care" and "building a community-wide system to watch over children." The children who survived, having been very young at the time, are now adults, living with and confronting their own trauma. Furthermore, a new challenge has emerged: many of the teachers who experienced the incident have since left the schools, making it difficult to pass on the memory.

"Don't Forget," Plead the Bereaved Families – Messages on the 24th Anniversary

At the memorial service, several bereaved family members strained to voice their feelings. Their words, when compiled, contained the following wishes:

• Preventing the incident from fading into obscurity: "As time passes, we feel society's interest waning. We won't forget, but the challenge is how to convey this to the next generation."
• Continuous evolution of safety measures: "We hope they will apply the lessons from that day to create a school environment that can also respond to new threats."
• Attention to invisible wounds: "As the number of teachers unaware of the incident increases, it's vital to have adults who can notice subtle changes in children."

These voices highlight areas that cannot be resolved simply by enhancing safety equipment. In other words, a major theme for the future will be how to compensate for the vulnerabilities in the 'soft' aspects (human resource development, community, mental support) alongside the development of 'hard' infrastructure.

Business Opportunities Surrounding "Safety": Market Transformation 24 Years On

Over these 24 years, the market related to school safety has certainly expanded. Demand for hardware like security cameras, IC card gates, and emergency notification systems has been steady. However, what I'm paying attention to is the emergence of new business frontiers beyond this.

First, the mental health care field. The trauma of the incident casts a long shadow not only on the bereaved families but also on local residents and the emergency responders from that time. While numerous mental health services exist for corporations, counseling and training programs specifically focused on 'critical incident stress' are still scarce. This represents a highly specialized niche market with significant growth potential.

Next, community-watching technology. With the aging population of volunteer crime prevention patrols, there is a growing demand for IT solutions that supplement "community eyes," such as AI-powered surveillance cameras and location-sharing apps. For example, services that inform parents in real-time about their children's safety during commutes to and from school are already being adopted by many local governments. However, there is still ample room to add new value, such as more advanced risk prediction systems.

Furthermore, there are also moves to create business models around "passing on memories." This includes creating digital archives of incident records and providing them as educational materials for use in schools. Or ideas like "memorial tourism," which links the operation of memorial facilities to regional revitalization. Due to their high public nature, collaboration with government and fostering a culture of donations will be key, but these are worth considering as sustainable mechanisms for conveying history.

Of course, the most important thing in developing such businesses is balancing "dignity" and "profit." It is absolutely unacceptable to turn the tragedy into mere marketing material. I am convinced that building services that truly benefit society, while gaining the understanding of the bereaved families and the community, is the absolute prerequisite for long-term success in this field.

Changing Landscape, Unchanging Vow

Even after the memorial service ended and the attendees left, flowers continued to be offered at "Niji no Kakehashi." The scene from 24 years ago has never faded and remains etched as part of this city's landscape.

The form of safety changes with the times. However, the vow to "never let the same tragedy happen again" is an unchanging principle that must be carried forward by society as a whole. The process of turning that vow into reality involves many challenges awaiting collaboration between the public and private sectors. What can each of us do to ensure this incident doesn't become just "the past"? I believe that continuously asking ourselves this question is the true starting point for a meaningful security business.