Japan’s revised law clarifying dangerous driving takes effect

TOKYO – A revised law aimed at cracking down on dangerous driving resulting in death and injury entered into force in Japan on July 21, setting clear standards for speeding and alcohol levels amid calls for greater clarity.Under the law, “high speed” is defined as travelling over the speed limit by at least 50kmh on ordinary roads and 60kmh on highways. For drunken driving, a breath alcohol level of at least 0.5mg a litre has been set.The numerical targets will make it easier for the authorities to determine whether driving was dangerous, given that some cases were treated as negligent driving due to the difficulty of proving deliberate intent.Dangerous driving carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.Speeding below the newly defined standards could still be considered dangerous in areas where children are walking home from school or on icy roads. KYODO NEWS