"Another National Embarrassment in Japan"... Caught Driving at Six Times the Legal Limit, Claims "I Drove but Didn't Drink"

Swerving While Driving, Arrested on the Spot
At the Police Station, Denies Charges, Saying "I Didn't Drink"

A man in his 40s from Korea was apprehended by local police in Japan after driving with a blood alcohol concentration nearly six times the legal limit. On December 10, Kyushu Asahi Broadcasting reported that local police had arrested a company executive in his 40s, identified as Mr. Lee, in Fukuoka City on suspicion of drunk driving. Mr. Lee is accused of driving under the influence at around 3:30 a.m. on a road in Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City, with a blood alcohol concentration close to six times the legal threshold. At the time, police officers on patrol spotted Mr. Lee's car swerving and requested that he pull over. After stopping the vehicle, Mr. Lee spoke with the officers, and it was reported that his speech was slurred.

A man in his 40s from Korea was caught by local police in Japan after driving with a blood alcohol level six times the legal limit. The Asia Business Daily

A subsequent breathalyzer test indicated a result close to six times the legal limit, prompting the police to arrest him on the spot. However, during questioning, Mr. Lee strongly denied the charges, reportedly stating, "I drove, but I didn't drink. I don't know what to do." Local police are continuing their investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the drinking and Mr. Lee's movements at the time.

Currently, Japan classifies drunk driving into two categories according to the degree of intoxication: "drunk driving" and "driving under the influence." The criteria are set at 0.25 mg or more of alcohol per liter of breath, and 0.15-0.25 mg, respectively. In cases of "drunk driving," the driver or anyone who provides a vehicle to a drunk driver can face up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 1 million yen (approximately 940,000 Korean won).

Japan Moves to Specify Drunk Driving and Speeding Criteria, Strengthening Penalties

Japan is considering revising its laws to strengthen penalties for drunk driving. At a legislative council meeting held by the Ministry of Justice on December 9, it was decided to further specify the offense of "dangerous driving causing injury or death," which imposes harsher penalties on certain drivers involved in traffic accidents. The current law defines drunk driving as "acts that make it difficult to drive a vehicle safely under the influence of alcohol or drugs." However, because this definition is ambiguous, it has been difficult to enforce the law, resulting in relatively light penalties for drunk driving. Accordingly, Japan plans to clarify the speed criteria and blood alcohol concentration standards for both dangerous driving and drunk driving.

Japan is considering revising its laws to strengthen penalties for drunk driving. The Ministry of Justice held a legislative council meeting on the 9th, where it decided to further specify the "dangerous driving causing injury or death" offense, which imposes harsher penalties on certain drivers involved in traffic accidents. The photo is an AI-generated image and is not related to the specific content of the article.

Previously, Japan also strengthened penalties for drunk driving on bicycles, introducing punishments of up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 500,000 yen last year. From the beginning of this year through September, there were 896 cases where individuals had their driver's licenses suspended after being caught riding a bicycle under the influence, and 77 cases involving electric kickboards.