“I’ll never drink again. I’ll never drive again.” Drummer of rock band “EleKashi” Receives Suspended Sentence for DUI Accident

“He had been drinking repeatedly behind his family’s back”

The trial of defendant Yoshiyuki Tominaga (60), the drummer for the rock band “Elephant Kashimashi” who was charged with violating the Road Traffic Act, was held on August 31 at the Tokyo District Court.

“On October 4 of last year, Defendant Tominaga consumed alcohol in the parking lot of his home and then drove himself to work. Around 1:00 p.m., he caused an accident on a road in Ariake, Koto Ward, by colliding with a motorcycle traveling ahead of him. Dashcam footage also shows him striking a guardrail and a sign just moments before the collision.A breathalyzer test detected 0.84 grams of alcohol per liter of exhaled air, indicating he was quite intoxicated,” said a judicial affairs reporter for a national newspaper.

Although the collision was not reported in the news, “elephants Co., Ltd.” posted the following on its official website:

“An incident has occurred in which Yoshiyuki Tominaga caused a collision while driving under the influence of alcohol and was arrested for violating the Road Traffic Act,”

and issued an apology. The company continued,

“We take this situation very seriously, and in accordance with the defendant’s wishes, while the ‘Me and My Friends’ performance scheduled for Wednesday, October 8, at SHELTER in Shimokitazawa will go ahead as planned, Mr. Tominaga will not be appearing in that performance,”

. Since then, the defendant Tominaga had been on hiatus from his activities, but on this day, he appeared in court and spoke about the circumstances of the day of the accident.

Defendant Tominaga appeared in court wearing a gray suit and a black tie. He took the stand with a solemn expression. When asked by the judge about his occupation, he replied, “I am a drummer in a band,” and acknowledged the charges against him, stating, “There is no mistake.”

His common-law wife, who appeared as a character witness, stated,

“He liked to drink, and it had taken a toll on his health. His test results from a month ago were not good, and his doctor had told him to stop drinking. Due to a combination of stress and personal worries, he had been drinking behind his family’s back,”

She added that she now accompanies him to his clinic appointments and said she would “continue to support him.”

Next, defendant Tominaga was cross-examined.When asked by his defense attorney how he felt at the moment, he apologized, saying , “I am deeply sorry for causing trouble to the victim, those involved, my family, and many others.” He added , “My TV appearances have been put on hold, and I have been living in seclusion ever since,” noting that a settlement had been reached with the victim. To ensure he never causes another accident,

“I promise never to drink alcohol or drive a car again,”

, reiterating his remorse.

“I think I drank because I was being selfish.”

However, the prosecution is firing off tough questions. Defendant Tominaga stated that, because his family was worried, he avoided drinking inside his home and began drinking in the parking lot after returning home. Suspecting habitual drinking, the prosecution repeatedly asked questions about his alcohol consumption. The following is a Q&A.

Prosecutor: “Did you feel drunk (on the day of the accident)?”

Defendant Tominaga: “Not to me, personally.”

Prosecutor: “Didn’t you think it would be dangerous to drive?”

Defendant Tominaga: “I don’t think I was thinking clearly about myself at the time.”

Prosecutor: “You were on your way to work, weren’t you?”

Defendant Tominaga: “I wasn’t thinking about that at the time.”

Prosecutor: “Have you ever driven under the influence before?”

Defendant Tominaga: “I think this is my first time.”

Prosecutor: “Why did you drink (when you were heading to work)?”

Defendant Tominaga: “There was a concert coming up soon, and I think I drank out of a sense of complacency.”

Next, the judge posed a question. When asked, “What do you mean by saying you drank because a concert was coming up soon?” Defendant Tominaga replied,

“I felt I had a lot to memorize and needed to practice.”

When asked if she hoped to resume her activities, she replied, “Yes.” When asked, “Won’t you feel like drinking when you’re working?” she said,

“I want to move forward with my career completely independent of alcohol. I will focus on my work. I want to make an effort for the sake of my family,”

. The sentencing took place later that same day, and he was sentenced to five months in prison, suspended for three years. Defendant Tominaga expressed remorse and vowed to make a fresh start. Perhaps the best way for him to atone for his actions is to give up alcohol and return to the stage once again—.