News On Japan

Man arrested for driving into scramble crossing

Oct 04 (NHK) - Tokyo police have arrested a 52-year-old company employee for driving through a busy pedestrian crossing near Shibuya Station last week.

No one was injured in the incident, but the famed Tokyo scramble crossing was thrown into chaos for some time by the sudden intrusion.

Last Monday evening, a black van being chased by a police car ran through a red traffic signal and sped into the intersection just as pedestrians began crossing. The car eluded the police and drove away.

Police identified the driver as an employee of an engineering and construction company based in Sendai, northeastern Japan.

They arrested the man for reckless driving and for failing to report hitting traffic cones.

The suspect has reportedly told the police that he fled because he did not have his driver's license with him, and feared he would lose his driving privileges.

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