Kawaguchi City Council in Saitama Passes Resolution to Prevent Traffic Accidents Involving Foreigners
Fatalities and Injuries Caused by Unlicensed, Uninsured, and Hit-and-Run Drivers
Council: "Strengthen Government Support for Uninsured Victims... Urges Strict Enforcement of Zero Illegal Residents Plan"
This is a training scene for domestic traffic accident response and is unrelated to the article content.
As incidents involving foreigners causing fatalities or injuries through unlicensed driving, uninsured vehicles, and hit-and-run accidents continue to occur, a Japanese city council has taken action.
On October 1, the Sankei Shimbun reported that the Kawaguchi City Council in Saitama Prefecture passed a resolution the previous day, calling on the national government to prevent traffic accidents caused by foreigners and to provide relief for victims. In recent years, Kawaguchi City has seen a series of serious accidents involving foreigners, such as unlicensed hit-and-run cases or drunk driving. In particular, victims have often been left without compensation when the vehicles involved were uninsured and not covered by automobile liability insurance. The Sankei Shimbun noted that it is unusual for a local government to pass such a resolution.
On the same day, the city council also approved a resolution demanding the thorough implementation of the Immigration Services Agency’s “Zero Illegal Residents Plan.” Both resolutions were proposed by the Liberal Democratic Party, and 32 out of 38 council members, excluding the chairperson, voted in favor. The six opposing votes came from two members affiliated with the Constitutional Democratic Party and four from the Communist Party, who argued that the measures could lead to discrimination against foreigners.
The main points of the traffic accident resolution include strengthening safety education, stricter enforcement against unlicensed driving, uninsured vehicles, and drunk driving, as well as providing support measures tailored to local circumstances. The resolution also pointed out that, under current law, victims of accidents caused by uninsured or hit-and-run vehicles are eligible for compensation equivalent to automobile insurance under the Automobile Liability Security Act, but this compensation is insufficient. The council is therefore calling for expanded compensation under the law.
During the pre-vote discussion, Liberal Democratic Party member Hiroyuki Matsuura referred to an incident that occurred in Kawaguchi City in September of the previous year. At that time, an 18-year-old Kurdish boy of Turkish nationality drove a car without a license, killed two teenage boys, and then fled the scene. He was sentenced to five years in prison by the Saitama District Court and is currently appealing the verdict. Matsuura stated, “One of the victims has still not regained consciousness a year later. When I visited the accident scene, the victim’s father pleaded desperately, saying, ‘He has undergone six surgeries over the past year and is fighting to survive. Please, we need support.’ At that moment, I strongly felt the necessity of preventing traffic accidents involving foreigners and providing relief for victims.”
Matsuura also mentioned that on September 24, there was another hit-and-run accident involving an unemployed Turkish woman driving without a license. He emphasized, “Automobile insurance is the minimum responsibility. That is why most Japanese people purchase voluntary insurance to protect both themselves and others.”
On the other hand, Constitutional Democratic Party member Mami Gonda criticized the resolution, saying, “It unfairly vilifies a specific group and spreads prejudices not based on fact. It is shameful that the Kawaguchi City Council, which has significant influence, would pass such a resolution.”
In June 2023, the Kawaguchi City Council also passed a resolution calling on the national and prefectural governments to strengthen crackdowns on crimes committed by certain foreigners, specifically referring to some Kurdish individuals of Turkish nationality.
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