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Deadly 12-Vehicle Crash in Japan Blamed on Tea Leaves

1/4/2026

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Story summary
  • A 12-vehicle crash in Sano, Tochigi, Japan on January 4 left one person dead and several injured.
  • Tea leaves spilled from a moving truck created a slippery road and contributed to the crash.
  • A 78-year-old man from Saitama died after stepping from his truck and being struck by an oncoming vehicle, while four others were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
  • The road was temporarily closed while workers cleared the tea leaves.