Man sentenced to 8 years in prison for fatal high speed crash in Oita Pref, Japan.

OITA — A 23-year-old man was convicted of dangerous driving and sentenced to eight years in prison on Nov. 28 for causing a fatal crash in 2021 while traveling at 124 miles per hour (three times the legal speed limit).

During the lay judge hearing in Oita District Court, prosecutors argued for a conviction on the charge of dangerous driving resulting in death, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. However, the defense argued that the charge should stem from negligence resulting in death, which should carry a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.

Prosecutors cited two factors that support the dangerous driving charge: the high speed that made the vehicle difficult to control and the defendant’s reckless driving by approaching another vehicle in an attempt to obstruct it. They stated that traveling at a speed of 194 km per hour could cause the vehicle to become unstable due to road conditions and increase the risk of an accident. They also argued that the defendant, who was familiar with the road from having used it approximately 30 times, knew that his actions could put him in front of vehicles turning right from the opposite lane.

The defense countered that the vehicle remained in its lane at high speeds and argued that the defendant had no specific intent to obstruct another car.

According to the indictment and other sources, on February 9, 2021, at around 23:00, the defendant was driving at 194 km/h on a prefectural road in the city of Oita, where the speed limit is 60 km/h. He collided with the vehicle driven by 50-year-old Ken Koyanagi, who turned right. The accident resulted in Koyanagi’s death due to blood loss.

Initially, the driver was charged without arrest on a charge of negligence resulting in death. However, following protests and a petition from the victim’s family, the charge was upgraded to dangerous driving resulting in death.

The court’s decision comes at a time of increased public attention to fatal crashes caused by careless driving.

(Japanese original by Megu Koyama, Taiki Yamaguchi, Oita Bureau and Emi Izuchi, Kyushu News Department)