Overview
- Trial draft sets a breath‑alcohol benchmark of 0.5 mg per liter and defines extreme speeding as over the limit by more than 60 km/h on roads capped above 60 km/h or by more than 50 km/h where limits are 60 km/h or lower, with the maximum penalty unchanged at up to 20 years’ imprisonment.
- 'Drift' driving that makes vehicle control difficult would be newly classified as a punishable form of dangerous driving.
- The law‑reform subcommittee presented the draft on December 9 and expects to finalize its recommendation later in December before the ministry seeks Diet approval next year.
- Investigators welcome clearer charging thresholds yet caution that rigid cutoffs could discourage applying the offense in borderline cases, while some victims’ families call the move a step forward.
- In a separate case, Mie Prefectural Police sent documents to prosecutors on December 10 in a fatal October crash, alleging dangerous driving causing death or injury and drink‑driving by the now‑deceased driver.