Ryoko Hirosue, who was reported to be driving “at 185 km/h,” avoids “dangerous driving” but faces “high barriers” to return to show business.

Initially searched on suspicion of dangerous driving manslaughter

Ryoko Hirosue, 45, who caused a rear-end collision on the Shin-Tomei Expressway in Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture, in April of this year, was referred to prosecutors on November 13 on suspicion of negligent driving.

According to investigators, Hirosue was “blasting” along at nearly 185 km/h when the accident occurred. The vehicle rear-ended a large trailer, and a male passenger suffered a broken bone.

At the time of the accident, the police had raided Hirosue’s home on suspicion of negligent driving, but this time, he was charged with negligent driving. Why did the charge of negligent driving become manslaughter? Kenta Morimi, an attorney at Morimi Law Office, explains.

In this case, Mr. Hirosue’s home was raided on the charge of manslaughter by dangerous driving, which is divided into eight categories of conduct. In the case of Mr. Hirosue, it is believed that the investigation was initially conducted under (1) ‘driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, which makes normal driving difficult,’ or (2) ‘driving a motor vehicle at a high speed, which makes it difficult to control its progress.

With regard to (1), the line was probably eliminated because no alcohol or drug reactions were found.

As for (2), the area in the Awagatake Tunnel on the New Tomei Expressway where the accident occurred was a straight road, with no sharp curves or road undulations, and there were no icy road surfaces. There were no signs of Mr. Hirosue deviating from the lane in which he was driving until the accident occurred.

Therefore, it is difficult to say that it was difficult for him to proceed according to the road conditions, and he may have found it difficult to be convicted along this line. And so, in this case, they sent him to prosecution for manslaughter (Article 5 of the same law).”

The penalty for negligent homicide is up to seven years in jail or a fine of up to 1 million yen. According to attorney Minoru Mori, there is a strong possibility that Hirosue’s driver’s license will be revoked, but what will happen to his future return to show business?

Independent from a major entertainment production company

Hirosue’s agency announced after the accident that she had been diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder and hyperthyroidism. It was also reported that she had been acting in an unnatural manner in the service area before the accident, and some were concerned about her mental health.

She has been on a performing hiatus since the accident, but she protested against TBS’s teasing. In this situation, TV stations “find it difficult to touch on Hirosue’s story. The agency probably made the protest in consideration of her mental state, but it is difficult to say whether it will prove to be a good thing or a bad thing.

A reporter in charge of entertainment at a sports newspaper said. The “protest to TBS” refers to the protest against the October broadcast of “All-Star Night After Festival ’25 Autumn.

In a quiz on the program, the contestants were asked, “Who has never reached a speed of 165 kilometers per hour?

In the quiz, Hirosue’s face was one of the choices, along with a baseball player’s. After the program aired, Hirosue’s office was notified that the quiz had been aired on the same day. After the broadcast, Hirosue’s office issued a statement of protest, claiming that it was defamation.

However, according to the latest report, she was running 185 km/h, 20 km/h faster than TBS’s “joke.

In 2011, Ms. Roy, a TV personality and model for GUCCI, was charged with speeding. No accidents were caused and no one was injured, but he left his agency and was rarely seen on TV anymore.

A handsome comedian who repeatedly committed traffic violations was also fired from his office. Cars can easily take a person’s life, and underestimating them can lead to a serious accident. Some offices even prohibit their talents from driving,” said a TV station official.

One entertainment industry insider spoke of a “difference in temperature” within the industry.

The cool good looks that Hirosue showed during the on-the-spot interview in July shocked the public by saying, “As expected of Hirosue, she is a beauty. However, she became independent from a major entertainment production company after her affair with chef Shusaku Toba (47) in 2011. She now belongs to a private agency and is not backed by an office.

However, in the world of movies and stage performances, a generation of Hirosue fans have become producers and directors, and there is a “longing for Hirosue. As one might expect, terrestrial TV may be difficult, but the road to a comeback is not closed for network dramas, movies, and stage productions.

The affair and the traffic accident have been a series of negative troubles for Hirosue’s career in show business. Will she be able to find a way out?