Overview
- Saitama Prefectural Police arrested 43‑year‑old Deng Hongpeng on June 3 after finding him driving without a valid license near his Misato home and they say he has remained silent in questioning.
- Deng was convicted in November 2025 for a May 2025 hit‑and‑run that injured four elementary school students and received a 2½‑year prison sentence with a four‑year suspension plus administrative license cancellation.
- Officers made a same‑day in‑the‑act arrest and told reporters they are investigating whether Deng repeatedly drove while his license was cancelled.
- Under Japanese law a new offense during a suspended term can trigger revocation and immediate enforcement of the original prison sentence and separate criminal penalties for driving after license cancellation.
- The case revives public safety concerns over drunk driving and hit‑and‑run incidents involving children and observers should watch for prosecutors’ charging decisions and any court move to lift the suspended sentence.