BIG RIG HITS, KILLS MAN FROM JAPAN : CLOTHIER WAS FATHER TO-BE.

Byline: Lisa Van Proyen Daily News Staff Writer

A Japanese businessman buying clothing in the Los Angeles area to sell in his hometown apparel shop was killed Monday, hit by a big rig while crossing San Fernando Road, authorities said.

Noriaki Inage, 31, from the city of Kochi was staying at the Santa Clarita Motel in Newhall along with four other clothiers from southern Japan. He was due to return home today, to his pregant wife, his friends said.

Inage's colleagues were somber Monday, sitting in their motel room packed with with boxes of new clothes.

Early Monday morning, Inage awakened and went outside, apparently to take a walk a day before he was scheduled to return to Japan, his friend, Tomobumi Nakatsu said.

Inage walked east across San Fernando Road near 15th Street. He was not in a crosswalk and was hit about 6:05 a.m. by a southbound tractor trailer driven by Manuel Insurriaga, 42, of Newhall, authorities said.

The truck driver said he saw Inage and braked, but hit him with the right front tire, said Deputy Mike Shapiro of the Santa Clarita Valley sheriff's station. Inage died at the scene.

The trucker, who was carrying chemicals, said he was within the 50 mph speed limit, authorities said. Witnesses described Insurriaga as distraught.

Insurriaga was not immediately cited, pending the outcome of a traffic investigation, Shapiro said.

San Fernando Road was closed for about two hours during the investigation and hazardous materials clean-up of 30 gallons of diesel fuel that spilled into a storm drain after the truck's fuel line broke from the impact, authorities said.

The four businessmen Inage traveled with laid roses, plucked from the motel's garden, on the curb next to where their friend was hit.

``He cares for people. If you're in a situation where you need help, he comes to help,'' Nakatsu said.

He and the three others figure their friend mistakenly thought San Fernando Road was one-way because in Japan, there are concrete dividers for two-way traffic patterns, they said.

``We thought that maybe that was his mistake,'' said Ben Sannie.

Inage arrived on Thursday in Santa Clarita to visit a friend, Tadashi Milda, lives. He had been traveling to the Los Angeles area once about every six weeks, Sannie said.

The five men bought trendy casual clothes from malls and other clothing outlets in Los Angeles to sell at their shops in Japan, they said.

Inage was scheduled to return to Japan today where his wife, Kana, is due to deliver the couple's first child next month, the men said.

The group of men were planning on packing clothes and relaxing Monday before their departure, they said.

Authorities are asking anyone who may have witnessed the accident to call the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's station at 255-1121, ext. 323.