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89-year-old ex-top bureaucrat pleads not guilty over fatal Tokyo car crash

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Even though found guilty, he would appeal to a higher court then Supreme Court, delaying the final verdict while enjoying free life outside prison until his death.

If legally viable, better file a lawsuit at civil court as well, demanding compensations (before inherited to his family after his death). Otherwise I really don't know how to get justice done for this terrible case.

18 ( +20 / -2 )

His not guilty plea and his defense are a slap in the face to the family of the victims. If there was some sort of mechanical issue that caused the car to accelerate to 96kph he could have applied the brakes or even put the car in neutral. He’s not only a careless murderer. He’s also a lying coward.

18 ( +21 / -3 )

2019 car accident in which a woman and her young daughter were killed,

And he can't remember?

Why the hell was he driving when he is incapable of rembering killing two people? These are the people making laws but they can't remember killing two people. They obviously can't remember what laws they passed.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

He should go to jail for manslaughter. And for lying about what he did to the mother and child.

15 ( +16 / -1 )

This man has killed two completely innocent people in his car and has shown no contrition. After the accident he did not call an ambulance. He called his son.

The net result is that lots of old people who are younger, fitter, and a million times more capable and honest than this man are now under pressure to stop driving cars, in some cases their only source of transport. They are being punished in place of him.

13 ( +15 / -2 )

I have to partially agree with the above. Heck, even just drop the part where he's a "bureaucrat" and I bet many people would at least have decided him not being arrested is a positive development.

-13 ( +0 / -13 )

Imagine being arrested at his age.

How would that be for you.

Prosecution yes . Sure .

-12 ( +3 / -15 )

If he can live with the truth???.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Interesting how there’s no mention of this ‘incident’ in his Japanese language Wikipedia entry unlike in the English language one. 

And the Japanese entry is ‘locked’ so it can’t be edited. 

I’ll let you draw your own conclusions as to why this is....

Feel free to play ‘spot the difference.’ :

Japanese entry:

https://ja.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/飯塚幸三

English entry:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kozo_Iizuka

14 ( +15 / -1 )

now-defunct Agency of Industrial Science and Technology under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry,

so he was unable to run a sub ministry, but allowed to drive, really Japan? Might be time to let younger persons have a go.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Evil old man,

Doesn't care about the plebs he has killed at all because they aren't 'elite' like him.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

CrickyToday  06:17 pm JST

so he was unable to run a sub ministry, but allowed to drive, really Japan? Might be time to let younger persons have a go.

Actually, it wasn't exactly defunct, but merged with about 15 other labs to form the new National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, an Independent Administrative Institution.

For why this was done:

Originally proposed by the Administrative Reform Council, the independent agencies are created based on the concept of separating the ministries and agencies of the government into planning functions and operation functions. Planning functions remain within government-based ministries and agencies while operating functions are transferred to the independent agencies.

.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

A liar. Not only did he kill two innocent people but he lied about the car and he's still lying about it. Throw the book at him.

Curiously, those regular posters who like to appear tough on crime are all absent from this thread. How strange.

17 ( +18 / -1 )

"I remember I did not keep pressing on the accelerator. The car had some issues and was out of control,"

Yeah, right. And I am Jingis Khan, pay me tribute.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Yeah, the car's got a mind of its own.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Japan’s legal system at its best! Didn’t even bother to arrest this killer because of his connections and people who are innocent or commit petty crime are arrested instantly and denied bail or even access to lawyers for weeks! He will probably die by the time this case wraps up and justice won’t be served as usual!

8 ( +8 / -0 )

No skid marks on the road?

He made a bad mistake...

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Take responsibility. Your old. It will happen to us all. Hopefully no accident will happen to you.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Does anyone know if he is in custody i.e. under arrest during all of this or free to roam about. Blaming the car though it has been thoroughly tested to no avail supporting his claim he will remain free. Seems to me he is making this the issue to keep from being incarcerated as long as possible.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The best result from all this would be if we learn from it, take steps to prevent it from happening again, and, in addition to encouraging more elderly drivers to turn in driver’s licenses, the bureaucrats in charge take proactive measures to 1) protect pedestrians and people on bicycles with a network of protected bicycle lanes, and 2) require that all cars on public roads be equipped with speed limiter technology.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

A dementia patient would not be able to recall the details of the accident. He is in plain denial and is blaming it on the car.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Why prosecutors are not asking to Iizuka's wife what happened ? If she's not in a trial, it will be the best proof on non justice in Japan. He's lying in everything and especially his condition.

I feel really sad for Matsunaga which life was totally destroyed!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I live in the USA and am approaching 79 years of age. I realize that my reaction time is not what it was at a younger age and swiveling my rather stiff neck to check for traffic is problematic so I have voluntarily given up driving for both my safety and the safety of others. Monthly trips for groceries keep me and my wife well fed and transportation, when needed, is provided by my daughter and son-in-law. Even if I had to rely on taxis for transportation it would be cheaper than the expense of a car.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Terrible, now imagine if anyone of us would have caused such an accident, what do you think might happen?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

The accident prompted many elderly people in Japan to give up driving.

Last year, a record 601,022 driver's licenses were voluntarily surrendered, of which 350,428, or 58.3 percent, belonged to those aged 75 or older, up 58,339 from the year before, according to police data.

.

Cost another 2 lives, but some good has happened.

.

How many more lives will be lost before more realise their driving is dangerous and give up driving.

.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

2) require that all cars on public roads be equipped with speed limiter technology.

@yokohamarides, 96kph isn't a speed that's illegal in Japan, so speed limiting technology wouldn't help here.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

His not guilty plea and his defense are a slap in the face to the family of the victims. 

It's also his constitutional right.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

@yokohamarides, 96kph isn't a speed that's illegal in Japan, so speed limiting technology wouldn't help here

it’s above the speed limit on most city streets and on the street where the accident occurred. With GPS speed can be limited by location.

And lowering the speed limit in the city is a good idea as well.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I have listened to the father and husband of the little girl and his wife speak.

It sounded like the man is merely asking for Iizuka to admit he made a human mistake and also have a dialogue about those who are elderly driving.

All of the monitoring devices indicate Iizuka hit the accelerator rather than the brake.

Iizuka is coming off as arrogant and one who refuses to take responsibility like an adult should.

Sad

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Iizuka, who was also injured in the accident and hospitalized, was indicted without arrest in February, triggering public outcry that he had been given preferential treatment due to his former government position.

This is the only reason he walked free after killing a woman and a little girl. If I had done this, I wouldn't be here typing this up. Japan needs to enforce one same law for all people. I feel even worse for the poor father! What a slap in his face to find out this old killer walks free.

He came to the courtroom in a wheelchair and with a cane.

Is that supposed to tug on our heartstrings? At least he can breathe air in his lungs. What about the mother and daughter he killed and then lied to try to it up? Can they go to the courtroom?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@fishten

most streets here have a speed limit of 50kph, 30kph for narrow streets. Unless you're driving in the express way, 96kph is way above the speed limit.

This guy's gall to lie to cover his ass is very sickening. He called his son instead of the ambulance, continues to wiggle his guilty self out by insisting that his car was faulty, not being arrested despite killing 2 people, and now he is pleading not guilty... this is just disgusting.

I hope that the father and the rest of the family doesn't give up until they get the justice that they rightfully deserve.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

What goes around - comes around... Just a cautionary note, stay FAR AWAY from elderly drivers and keep your eyes peeled at all times. Be safe out there everyone!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

sir_bentley28Today  10:54 am JST

This is the only reason he walked free after killing a woman and a little girl. If I had done this, I wouldn't be here typing this up. Japan needs to enforce one same law for all people. I feel even worse for the poor father! What a slap in his face to find out this old killer walks free.

We will never know the extent of influence his previous success has on the outcome. However, I don't think it is the decisive factor, simply because his old age is already a strong and arguably sufficient factor to favor sparing him arrest. He isn't going anywhere.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

While it's possible he will be declared innocent in this criminal case, he may still have to face civil claims and hopefully have to pay massive compensation to the victims. The young woman and her baby died but there were nine other victims who were also injured; to what extent I don't know. The police checked his car and found no mechanical issues yet he still insists he didn't mistakenly step on the accelerator. He's clearly lying. I think the best result for such an arrogant liar protected by his special status is to have him lose all his money, status, and live what's left of his of his miserable existence in poverty alone.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

An 89-year-old former top bureaucrat pleaded not guilty Thursday over a 2019 car accident in which a woman and her young daughter were killed.

"I remember I did not keep pressing on the accelerator. The car had some issues and was out of control," said Kozo Iizuka.

He also injured nine others aged 2 to 90, including his wife who was a passenger in the car, according to the indictment.

How does this guy live with himself everyday?

Just throw him in a 7 foot hole and walk away.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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