Reiwa 7 (Wa) 220 Road Traffic Law Violation, Dangerous Driving Causing Injury Case

In April 2025, a South Korean man in his 30s rented a car in Tokyo and drove under the influence of alcohol at excessive speed in Shibuya Ward. He lost control and struck a Japanese pedestrian, causing fractures and severe injuries. Police arrested him on suspicion of violating the Road Traffic Law (drunk driving) and later prosecutors indicted him on the additional charge of dangerous driving causing injury. The defendant claimed his actions were negligent but not intentionally dangerous. The Tokyo District Court heard the case under docket Reiwa 7 (Wa) 220, examining dashcam footage and blood alcohol content. The incident fueled debate on whether existing penalties deter foreign drivers and how to ensure visitors understand local traffic laws.

The Tokyo District Court convicted the defendant of dangerous driving causing injury and road traffic law violations. He received a prison sentence of 2 years and 6 months, suspended for 4 years, along with a fine and a lifetime driving ban in Japan. The court emphasized the gravity of disregarding traffic safety while intoxicated in a foreign country, but considered his expression of remorse and compensation to the victim as mitigating factors for the suspended term.

The key legal dispute centered on whether the defendant's driving constituted "dangerous driving" as defined by law—requiring a willful disregard for safety—or merely gross negligence. The defense argued the defendant's impairment did not equate to intent to cause harm, seeking a lesser charge of negligent injury. The prosecution maintained that combining high-speed driving with a BAC significantly above the legal limit demonstrated reckless indifference to human life, meeting the threshold for the more serious dangerous driving offense.

The case triggered significant public discussion about foreign nationals driving in Japan. Rental car companies faced pressure to enhance screening, including mandatory breathalyzer checks and multilingual road-safety videos. Local governments in tourist-heavy areas called for stricter national regulations. The incident also strained community relations between Japanese residents and Korean tourists temporarily, prompting cultural exchanges and traffic safety campaigns led by the Korean consulate. It became a reference point in Diet debates on the traffic law amendment bill to close loopholes for non-resident drivers.