<figure id="attachment_463984" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-463984" style="width: 515px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="b388c9ad"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/04/c0b933b6bf273a3f60a605c2a9f4556b-1.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-463984" class="wp-caption-text">A graphic view of the immediate aftermath of the accident. Captured from a video taken by Mr. Yamaguchi (May &#8217;24).</figcaption></figure>
<p> He was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in prison.</p>
<p> On April 7, it was learned that former truck driver FURITA Sakyo (30), who was charged with manslaughter and other crimes, had withdrawn his appeal to the Tokyo High Court. The Tokyo District Court&#8217;s initial ruling at the first trial became final.</p>
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<p><span class="strongInContent"> The accident occurred in May &#8217;24. On the Metropolitan Expressway in Toda City, Saitama Prefecture, a large truck driven by defendant Yutake plowed into a traffic jam at speeds of 75 to 80 km/h, killing three people and seriously injuring another three. The defendant had been driving with a fever for several days and was in a coma. The night before, he had been on line with his mistress almost all night.</span></p>
<p> In November 2013, immediately after the first trial verdict, FRIDAY Digital published an article by Mika Yanagihara, a nonfiction writer who covered the accident in question. The following is a graphic account of the scene of the accident, based on the testimony of the injured female driver, as well as the defendant&#8217;s appalling statement.</p>
<h2> She was completely unresponsive.</h2>
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<p><span class="strongInContent"> While stopped in traffic, I suddenly received a strong impact from behind, which pushed the 23-ton trailer I was driving forward. I had enough space between the cars to avoid a collision with the car in front of me, but as soon as I got out of the driver&#8217;s seat, I saw that it was already a terrible accident in the back at that point. Flames erupted from the passenger car that had crashed into the median shortly after. It really happened in the blink of an eye.</span></p>
<p> recalls Mariko Yamaguchi, a large trailer driver.</p>
<p> On May 14, 2012, at around 7:35 a.m., a large truck hit the tail end of a traffic jam at the Mimegi Junction of the Metropolitan Expressway without braking. The accident caused six cars parked in front of the truck to pile up one after another, and three passenger cars burst into flames.</p>
<p> The author obtained a video showing the scene immediately after the accident. The video shows the cars burning vividly. One of the victims, Mr. Yamaguchi, who was in the sixth car that was hit by a pileup, shot the video with his smartphone.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> I remember flames and smoke rising from several cars, and it was extremely hot just standing there.</span></p>
<p> Yamaguchi himself was injured, but he could see the driver of the truck two cars behind him, trapped in a limp condition. He and the driver of the truck behind him immediately rushed over and tapped on the door.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> &#8220;At first he didn&#8217;t respond at all, and I thought he was dead. &#8230;&#8230; We managed to open the door and both of us struggled to carry the driver out of the car, who was unconscious.&#8221;</span></p>
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" Shocking statement made by the defendant in court"></div>
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<h2>He couldn&#8217;t even answer to his name.&#8221;</h2>
<p> A few minutes later, a highway patrol team driving in the opposite lane arrived. Firefighters and police followed, but three bodies were found inside the three passenger cars that had burst into flames, and the three drivers of the large car, including Yamaguchi, were seriously injured.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> At the time, I was so busy trying to save one person,&#8221; Yamaguchi said. I couldn&#8217;t get very close to the car that was on fire. &#8230;&#8230;&#8221;</span></p>
<p> On November 4, &#8217;25, the first trial court ruled for the defendant Furugi, who was driving the truck. Judge Takao Okawa of the Tokyo District Court harshly denounced the defendant, saying, &#8220;He had little awareness of the need to comply with traffic laws and regulations, and his criminal conduct was unprecedentedly bad. He sentenced the defendant to seven years and six months in prison, exceeding the statutory penalty.</p>
<p> On the day of the accident, Furihata had a high fever due to a cold, but he was still working on the heavy-duty truck. The day before the accident, he had not had enough sleep, and had stayed up almost all night exchanging several hundred messages with his mistress. He was also &#8220;driving while driving,&#8221; holding the steering wheel with his right hand only and typing messages on his smartphone with the other hand. It is also known that he had dozed off just before the accident because his mind was in a foggy state due to the effects of cold medication.</p>
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<p> Furthermore, as the police investigated the history of his phone, they discovered that he had downloaded indecent images of children. He was also charged with &#8220;violation of the law on possession of child pornography. After reading out the sentence, the presiding judge stated, &#8220;You are not aware of the grave crime you have committed,&#8221; and &#8220;Your perfunctory apology did not touch anyone&#8217;s heart. You should sincerely face the serious consequences that cannot be undone,&#8221; he admonished in harsh words.</p>
<p> Mr. Yamaguchi, who was present at the sentencing hearing, expressed his frustration.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> In the courtroom, he couldn&#8217;t even answer to the names of those who had died. He did not express any sense of remorse at all. I understand that the accident was not caused on purpose.</span></p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> What I cannot forgive, however, is the fact that the defendant did not perform any rescue activities immediately after the accident. He did not even get out of the car, even though it was his fault that something terrible had happened, and he looked as if he was looking for something in the driver&#8217;s seat. I will never forget that scene.&#8221;</span></p>
<p> As mentioned at the beginning of this article, the first instance judgment became final when the defendant Yuzuru withdrew his appeal. The clear reason for dropping the appeal is not known.</p>


 Mika Yanagihara (nonfiction writer)

 Courtesy of Ms. Mariko Yamaguchi

 The defendant who caused an accident that killed and injured six people on the Metropolitan Expressway has been sentenced. The defendant withdrew her appeal. Nonfiction writer Mika Yanagihara interviewed the female driver. Her testimony reveals the defendant's appalling argument.

I want to return to society as soon as possible&#8221; in front of the bereaved family&#8230; A female victim confessed to the defendant of the &#8220;Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway Accident that killed and injured six people&#8221; and made an appalling statement.

I want to return to society as soon as possible” in front of the bereaved family… A female victim confessed to the defendant of the “Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway Accident that killed and injured six people” and made an appalling statement.

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