# Fatal traffic accidents in Japan

> Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/20261105-fatal-traffic-accidents-in-japan
> Updated: 2026-11-05T05:55:31.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2.

Recent judicial rulings in Japan have addressed severe cases of negligent driving resulting in multiple fatalities.

In Mie Prefecture, the Tsu District Court sentenced 55-year-old Mitsuyo Mizutani to seven years in prison for a March crash on the Shin-Meishin Expressway. The court found that Mizutani was driving 82 km/h in a 50 km/h zone while distracted by a smartphone, specifically watching a TikTok video. The accident caused six deaths, including three children.

In Gunma Prefecture, the Tokyo High Court upheld a 20-year prison sentence for 72-year-old Goro Suzuki. The ruling follows a May 2024 incident in Isesaki where Suzuki, driving a truck under the influence of alcohol, crossed a median strip and collided with oncoming vehicles. The crash resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including a 26-year-old man and his 2-year-old son.

## Timeline

### 2026-11-05: Tokyo High Court upholds 20-year sentence for drunk driver in Gunma fatal crash

The Tokyo High Court upheld a 20-year prison sentence for a truck driver convicted of dangerous driving after a 2024 drunk driving crash in Gunma killed three people.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tokyo-high-court-upholds-20-year-sentence-for-drunk-driver-in-gunma-fatal-crash

### 2026-10-20: Mitsuyo Mizutani sentenced to 7 years for fatal expressway crash

A Japanese court sentenced Mitsuyo Mizutani to seven years in prison for a distracted driving crash that killed six people on the Shin-Meishin Expressway.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/japan-driver-sentenced-to-7-years-for-fatal-distracted-driving-accident

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Cite as: Fatal traffic accidents in Japan. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/20261105-fatal-traffic-accidents-in-japan