Woman arrested over fatal hit-and-run in Aomori Pref

Hit and run. That's why I don't drive in Japan. I'm worried I would hit someone due to my poor driving skills here in Japan. The roads are not so spacey.

Yet another hit and run in Japan. This is unfortunately becoming a trend.

For anyone who has ever driven in Aomori during the winter knows of how difficult it can be to drive. I drive up to Aomori every winter and summer with my wife and family to visit my wife family for the New Years and Obon Holiday.

(Police said the incident occurred along a straight stretch of road with snow piled up on both sides)

Snow could be piled us as much as 2 meters or more creating hard to see conditions especially when shoveling snow. When you drive in Aomori city, Hirosaki, Towada, Mutsu, or Tsugaru your going to see these snow walls often. They even hid the side walks so its really difficult to see pedestrians walking when your turning into stores or other places. Not to mention the elderly who are shoveling snow and doing any kind of snow removal. Its difficult to see these people during the day. This happened at 17:40 or 5:40 pm in the evening making it difficult to see anyone especially if dressed in darker colors. Not to mention weather conditions that could be snow blowing or white out conditions that usually occur in Aomori during the winter. (I do not know the conditions of that day but know the weather during that season very well).

Combine this with a Nurse who probably just finished a long day can create a high chance for any kind of accident to occur.

The best thing to do when driving in this area of Japan during the winter really, concentrate, be awake, take it slow, and watch for anything especially older people who are removing snow after dark. Unfortunately this can occur frequently in areas with a lot of snow, dark, and that is hard to drive in the winter. My thoughts go out to all involved in this terrible accident and their families.

These snow walls do not only occur in Aomori but also Niigata, Joetsu, other parts of Tohoku and Hokuriku. Be careful driving in the winter.

If you care to drive, drive with care.

Mieko Shiratori, a nurse, has been charged with dangerous driving resulting in death Shiratori has denied the allegation.

There's chance that she didn't do that at all, in Japanese rural area they really have less camera even no camera at all. So they'll depend on nearest place to get camera footage, either actual street camera or even private one like from convenience store. 

Since there is possibility around that neighborhood they don't have any camera at all. The nearest camera might exist few miles away for accident spot and coincidentally that nurse car the one that being captured by camera during time of accident. Even she's not necessary the one who really hit that poor old lady.

So who did it? It can be car around that neighborhood but since that neighbor's car just going around particular areas that have no camera at all, so there's no proof at all.

Japanese justice system only need a suspect confession, whether that nurse actual driver who hit that old lady it doesn't matter once she confess.

https://www.economist.com/leaders/2015/12/05/forced-to-confess

Police said Shiratori has denied the allegation.

Shiratori’s car was identified after an analysis of street surveillance camera footage.

Shiratori san bad luck.

Feel sorry abt dead person.

There are more details

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/25e33ba8befc22da0cf3fa206058b7f1bc8152b9

There's announcement that said if anyone know about accident that take place on January 9th afternoon please come forward. So camera footage that being acquired is not necessarily from that accident spot otherwise they'll catch that driver sooner.

Also it is mentioned where actual accident took place, which is 6 kilometer away from nearest station. Area that usually has activities and more cameras.

So street camera that captured that nurse's car can be several kilometer away from that spot, which can lead less accurate way to determine whether she really involved or not. Just based on timing of passing which is really circumstantial.

To everybody pointing out the difficulty of driving in Aomori pref and Japan in general, or speculating on the possible fault of the victim, what is it about the RUN part of "hit and run" that you do not understand?

Tragic. - Yet, given the limited details about the the time of day and ‘white’ conditions creating ‘blindspots, it may be understandable a nurse, dedicated to preserving life, would be so callous as to strike and elderly person a drive off. Perhaps some credence should be given to the viewpoint of persons familiar with area at this time of year, ie:

@藤原 11:41am: “For anyone who has ever driven in Aomori during the winter knows of how difficult it can be to drive. I drive up to Aomori every winter and summer with my wife and family to visit my wife family for the New Years and Obon Holiday. 

“(Police said the incident occurred along a straight stretch of road with snow piled up on both sides)”

“Snow could be piled us as much as 2 meters or more creating hard to see conditions especially when shoveling snow. When you drive in Aomori city, Hirosaki, Towada, Mutsu, or Tsugaru your going to see these snow walls often.

They even hid the side walks so its really difficult to see pedestrians walking when your turning into stores or other places. Not to mention the elderly who are shoveling snow and doing any kind of snow removal. Its difficult to see these people during the day.

This happened at 17:40 or 5:40 pm in the evening making it difficult to see anyone especially if dressed in darker colors. Not to mention weather conditions that could be snow blowing or white out conditions that usually occur in Aomori during the winter.

(I do not know the conditions of that day but know the weather during that season very well)”.

The accident was Jan 9. It takes time to put the pieces together. There may be no cameras in the immediate vicinity of the accident but cameras at the the next major crossroads & junctions, coupled with cell phone activity ‘pinged’ and triangulated between towers at the time of the accident most likely lead to identification of the vehicle and the alleged defendant.

The accident was Jan 9. It takes time to put the pieces together. There may be no cameras in the immediate vicinity of the accident but cameras at the the next major crossroads & junctions

Rural area even major crossroads, roads and junction is unlikely to have any camera. Even if she was captured in camera around that time, there is no real evidence that linked to that fatal accidents. For example victims blood or clothes in her car. So everything still circumstantial.

"...what is it about the RUN part of "hit and run" that you do not understand?"

There is NOTHING that I do not understand. And I have not been pointing out the difficulty of driving in Aomori Prefecture. Are you talking to me?

People drive like crap in my neighborhood. They drive too fast and recklessly. Having kids, I worry about it every day. They are simply callous.

The police said they put together an analysis of street surveillance camera footage. Ok what about damage to Mieko Shiratori car. If she hit an object lets say a in this case a person there should be damage on the car one would think that is where you would find the real proof. The illogical thinking of the police analysis saying the incident occurred along a straight stretch of road with snow piled up on both sides could indicate that anyone driving on that road a short distance could have did this. If you have cameras lets say spread out that covers main intersection they would only get camera images in that locations but what about images further up the road where no cameras are where people drive between the next intersection. There's a big gap in the middle that is missing and anyone could have done this.

@藤原

Your explanation of the snow and driving sitation is spot on, as I've driven there in the winter myself, but you can't hit someone and just keep driving away. That's awful.

Who’s to say the 76 year old didn’t just decide to cross the road wherever and whenever she decided was convenient for her? That might have made it very difficult for the driver to stop and hence the nurse refuting the allegations. I see old folk do this all the time.

Victim blaming is disgusting.