72-year-old man arrested for hitting 8-year-old girl with car in Chiba

How wide or narrow is this street? I guess there's no sidewalk either.

Sounds like the family should have taken grandpappy's keys away a while ago..

And the sidewalk?!? A sidewalk would have prevented this tragedy. I'm amazed at the lack of sidewalks in construction-saturated Japan. Little kids sharing busy roads with trucks and cars is a common sight here. My neighborhood has few sidewalks but it does have telephone poles installed right on the road, despite the area being "developed" during the postwar period. An accident waiting to happen.

ay hole

Old people take the bus! Your reflexes are shot and depth perception worsens by the day. I respect the old but come on; they have no business behind the wheel.

stay home and play shogi old timer, or gran turismo if you really feel the need to drive. you are too old to be trusted to drive, get over it and get a bus pass.

There are way too many old people in Japan and they should not be aloud to drive, this would make a great new business! Get younger, safer drivers to take all of these incompetent old folks around town and hopefully cut down on these idiotic accidents!

This is exactly the argument I am having with my husband at the moment. He wants to move to Setagaya "because it's posh". I am horrified by the lack of sidewalks and the narrow streets and am refusing to go there. I will shortly have 3 young kids (one on the way) - no way am I walking along those narrow roads with no sidewalk with 3 little ones.

Again the roads. Police do not enforce safe driving on these very narrow two way streets and of course we have this kid getting hit. Then we have the school bus crushing that child a month or so ago. People are killed left and right here. Why? Why not one ways with a line or something for pedestrians etc. Why not use eminent domain? I find many nice things in Japan but these roads will have me leaving. The poor people. I do not want my kids walking on these roads either. Really third world stuff.

oneforall: I concur. Eminent Domain needs to step in.

But, no place is perfect. If you have kids, you might consider moving to another country.

Eminent domain (compulsory purchase, resumption, compulsory acquisition, or expropriation) is not legally recognized in Japan. The state does not have the right to simply force you to sell your property, or even to force property owners to tear down eyesore buildings. The worst they can do is force vacation of structurally unsafe structures and even that is difficult.

In any event, most of these narrow roads would be better handled by converting the neighbourhoods, as has been done in many parts of Tokyo, into well marked one-way grids and lowering the speed limits. Speed humps would also be a welcome addition in many neighbourhoods, and an excellent use for recycled rubber from used tyres.

idiot drivers and stupid kids walking in the middle of the street, end of story

Hoolie. Good ideas. The State or fed could pass some laws for the safety of all. Yes, I did notice that in Tokyo. Much better. Probably saved a few lives as well.

himasan - You sound like the guy who ran over and killed the two year old last week. It is that attitude that kills.

OneForAll- No, its idiot drivers and stupid kids that kill,FYI, Im probably one of the only drivers in Japan that actually stops at pedestrian crossings. Its unbelieve to suggest people give up there homes to make way for sidewalks for people who cant use common sense. Why dont you give up your home and set an example? Pass new safety laws!?