Drunk Driving Defendant’s Astonishing Argument Visiting Two Izakayas Consecutively

Visiting two izakayas and snack bars, consuming large amounts of draft beer and highballs, then driving. There’s no excuse for such behavior—.

On July 3rd, the Osaka High Court rejected the appeal of Yasuyuki Inoki (50), accused of dangerous driving resulting in death or injury, and handed down a 10-year prison sentence. In December ’22, Inoki drank for over four hours, drove while intoxicated, hit four men from a neighborhood association on patrol in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture at night, then fled. Two died, and two were injured.

 

 

“In the trial that began in March ’23, Defendant Inoki claimed, ‘I don’t know if the accident occurred due to alcohol,’ and denied the charges. However, the Osaka High Court judged it as ‘dangerous driving due to alcohol’ and upheld the first-instance sentence of 10 years imprisonment,” said a national newspaper judiciary reporter.

‘FRIDAY Digital’ extensively reported on January 18, ’23 about the drunk driving accident caused by Defendant Inoki consuming large amounts of alcohol. We want to revisit his astonishing arguments and remarkable behaviors before and after the accident (with some content revisions).

“I didn’t realize I hit someone.”

“I did cause an accident and drove away, but I’m certain I thought I hit a utility pole or something. I didn’t realize I had hit a person. I didn’t think it was a hit-and-run.”

The man’s statement to the police now appears blatantly inconsistent. On January 16th, ’23, media reports revealed he had been drinking at two izakayas shortly before the accident. It’s highly likely he was heavily intoxicated.

The accident occurred on a municipal road in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, just after 11:30 PM on December 27th, ’22. Yasuyuki Inoki, the defendant, was arrested. He allegedly struck four men in their 40s who were on nighttime patrol, resulting in two deaths and two minor injuries. Inoki reportedly fled without providing proper assistance.

“Eight local neighborhood association members were participating in the patrol. The scene on the municipal road was a single lane with a width of about 6 meters. The eight men were in two rows, cautioning nearby residents about fire safety and other concerns. Defendant Inoki’s car approached the patrol team from behind at high speed and is believed to have struck four men in succession. Inoki seemed to have been dozing off.

The two who died were the last two walking. According to the forensic autopsy, both had suffered skull fractures, likely from the impact of being hit and forcefully striking their heads on the ground. There were no brake marks at the scene, suggesting that Inoki did not slow down and hit the four men.” (National newspaper social affairs reporter)

The day after the accident, police discovered a sports utility vehicle (SUV) resembling the fleeing car captured by multiple security cameras, parked about 700 meters from the scene at a residential parking lot. The owner was identified as defendant Inoki.

“Defendant Inoki partially denied the allegations, claiming he thought he hit a utility pole. However, there were no utility poles near the accident scene. It’s reported that he did not apologize to the victims at the time of his arrest.

The morning after the accident, Inoki was seen wearing work clothes and heading to work. While he admitted to drinking alcohol shortly before the accident, his arrest occurred nearly a full day later, late on December 28th, and no alcohol was detected in his breath test.” (Same source)

According to police, on the evening of the accident day around 8 PM, Defendant Inoki was confirmed to have entered his usual izakaya alone. He consumed a total of eight or more draft beers and highballs, leaving the establishment shortly after 10 PM. In a staggering state, Inoki then entered another establishment and continued drinking, which led to the accident.

“From the testimony of the first izakaya’s owner, Defendant Inoki’s significant lies have also come to light. When asked by the owner if he had come by car, Inoki denied it. However, the next morning, Inoki reportedly called and said, ‘(On the way back) I hit a utility pole.’ When the owner asked if it wasn’t a person, Inoki explained that it was a utility pole,” as reported by the same source.

Two years have passed since the malicious accident claimed two lives—finally, a judgment has been made in the court of law.