2. Fujin Raijin II
Park: Expoland (Osaka, Japan)
Ride Opened: 1992
Deaths: 1 The accident that took place in Expoland has become infamous in Japan, with a far-reaching impact on the country's theme park industry. One of the park's grandest and most popular roller coasters, Fujin Raijin II was responsible for a horrific incident that shone a light on decades of neglect. The tragedy took place on the 5th of May, 2007, when a 19-year old girl was killed a derailment on the Fujin Raijin II. A total of forty other park-goers were injured by the catastrophic event, with thirty-one of them requiring hospital care. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h5yPJ8s8IM The derailment happened due to a broken axle. It soon emerged that the train's axles had not been replaced in fifteen years, making it a death trap waiting to happen. The Fujin Raijin II derailment led to parks nationwide voluntarily closing down their roller coasters for government inspections. Several parks and rides were closed down due to the high costs associated with the newly required maintenance. Expoland reopened five months after the tragedy, but was forced to close under eight weeks later due to a severe lack of customers.