Ex-bureaucrat referred to prosecutors over fatal car crash in Tokyo

The samurai never vanished from Japan. They just operate on the hush hush today.

Where are all these cars that are supposed to brake automatically if sensors sense a danger !?

Elderly people over a certain age should only be permitted to drive these vehicles that have the sensors

Iizuka's car started to accelerate 200 meters from the crash site

That's not just jabbing the accelerator by mistake. That sounds like jamming it down and holding it there, either through mental or physical impairment.

My take of the article is an attempt to explain the long referral and not an arrest (the article does provide additional insight thank you Japan Today) but it's very simple he is an ex-senior bureaucrat who WAS given special privileges. Just yesterday in a story posted by Japan Today the driver of the truck "ONLY" injured victims was "immediately arrested" According to the article for Mr.Iizuka "The police cited the improbability of Iizuka fleeing or destroying evidence when explaining their decision not to arrest him. He voluntarily answered police questions after he was discharged from hospital". Did the day before yesterdays accident driver post a threat of fleeing or destroying evidence, clearly not.

In this case for Mr. Iizuka there are multiple witnesses, video and the actual data from the vehicle. What evidence is there to destroy? If fleeing I doubt he would get far as most of the ones who have tried lately are caught with as many cameras going around.

No this is not about age or elderly turning in or having to turn a Drivers License nor about specialized vehicles. Let us the public not lose sight of the main point: It is "FAVORABLE TREATMENT" pure and simple by the police. Why did it take the victims spouse a petition, and a public outcry to try and get at best a referral to get justice. He is not after money, money will not solve anything and surely it will not bring the loss of his wife or child back.

and prompted many elderly Japanese to surrender their driver's licenses for fear of causing a similar accident.

But just surrendering a license is not going to stop these elderly drivers. There have cases where there were accidents, and the "elderly" driver had no valid license.

Not to mention in this case the guy had no permission from his doctor, yet drove anyway. He is like many elderly here, who, for lack of a better way of saying it, "think their guano does not stink" and dont have to follow the "rules".

Families MUST take away the keys! The police MUST check ALL licensed elderly drivers and if they have their license taken away, or give it away, ensure they do not have access to a vehicle.

Never going to happen! Too invasive. And because of it, we WILL hear more stories like this in the near future!

88-year-old former senior bureaucrat

I love this! It's uncannily fitting for the Japanese ruling class. From Dictionary. com

Bureaucrat - An official who works by fixed routine without exercising intelligent judgment.

He's not going to jail! This will all be solved with bags of cash. He will probably even keep his licence.

A seven-month investigation ?

To decide that Mana Matsunaga, 31, and her 3-year-old daughter Riko, died, whilst injuring eight others, including Iizuka and his wife who was a passenger in the car?

This is an outrage, I am not for one moment contending that Iizuka should be dangled of a lamppost or tree.

The police also suspect Iizuka may have been suffering the effects of Parkinson's disease, which causes hand and leg rigidity among other symptoms, at the time of the incident, the sources said. His doctor had not permitted him to drive a car.

I am suggesting that every driver over a defined number of years be required to succumb to thorough medical every six months.