Criteria for Dangerous Driving Offenses Proposed in Japan

Newsfrom Japan

Society

Sep 29, 2025 20:21 (JST)

Tokyo, Sept. 29 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Justice Ministry on Monday presented a draft proposal to set numerical criteria for dangerous driving offenses, such as specific figures for speeding and drunk driving.

The proposal is aimed at clarifying the charge of dangerous driving resulting in death or injury, after ambiguous standards in the existing law have led to a series of differing judicial decisions.

It was submitted to a subcommittee meeting of the Legislative Council, which advises the justice minister.

The existing law defines the requirement for speeding violations as “an act of driving at such high speed that it is exceedingly difficult for the person to control the motor vehicle.”

The ministry proposed new standards based on the speed limit of the road, such as driving on expressways with a speed limit of more than 60 kilometers per hour, either at more than 50 kilometers per hour or at more than 60 kilometers per hour.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]

Jiji Press