Ikebukuro Runaway Crash: Der verurteilte Kozo Iizuka stirbt an Altersschwäche

It has been reported that Kozo Iizuka, who was convicted for causing a deadly car crash in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, five years ago, has passed away at the age of 93 due to old age.

Iizuka, a former senior official at Japan’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry, was convicted for the crash that occurred in April 2019 in the Ikebukuro district of Tokyo. His vehicle ran out of control and struck Mana Matsunaga (31) and her daughter, Riko (3), resulting in their deaths. Nine others were also injured, some seriously. Iizuka was sentenced to five years in prison for reckless driving resulting in death and injury.

According to sources, Iizuka passed away in prison on 26th October, due to natural causes at the age of 93.

Takuya Matsunaga: “What Society Should Do Is Prevent Similar Tragedies”

Takuya Matsunaga, who lost his wife and daughter in the accident, posted a comment on social media expressing his thoughts: “I offer my heartfelt condolences. I truly believe my wife and daughter were deeply wronged. However, I think it must have been very regrettable for Iizuka as well, having to bear such a huge responsibility and passing away in prison. What society should do is not continue to condemn him, but learn from his experience and work together to find ways to prevent similar tragedies in the future.”

The Accident that Sparked Attention on Elderly Drivers

This crash became a significant turning point in highlighting the issue of traffic accidents caused by elderly drivers.

Earlier this year, during a meeting with the convicted Iizuka, the families of the victims said that Iizuka had expressed the wish: “Please tell the elderly drivers to return their driving licences as soon as possible.”

Summary of the Accident and Its Impact

The accident occurred on the afternoon of 19th April 2019, in the Higashi-Ikebukuro area of Tokyo. At the time, Iizuka was 87 years old and was driving a car that suddenly accelerated uncontrollably. He struck Mana Matsunaga and her daughter Riko as they were crossing the pedestrian crossing on bicycles. Nine others were also injured, some seriously.

Following the accident, Takuya Matsunaga, who lost his wife and daughter, shared his feelings about the loss and his desire to see no more victims of traffic accidents. His heartfelt plea resonated widely, gaining significant attention. This year, the number of elderly drivers voluntarily handing in their licences reached record numbers, drawing even more focus to the issue of elderly driver-related accidents.

The Trial

Iizuka was charged with reckless driving resulting in death and injury, and the trial began in October 2020, more than a year and a half after the accident, at the Tokyo District Court.

During the trial, Iizuka claimed he believed there was some malfunction with the car and argued for acquittal. However, the court found that Iizuka had mistakenly continued to press the accelerator while not realising he had stepped on the wrong pedal instead of the brake. In September 2021, the court sentenced him to five years in prison, which was upheld, and Iizuka was incarcerated.

Iizuka’s Apology Letter

In recent years, Takuya Matsunaga, determined not to let the deaths of his loved ones be in vain, has been giving speeches around the country calling for road safety. He has also actively worked on addressing the issue of cyberbullying that he encountered on social media. This year, as the fifth anniversary of the accident approached, there was a new development involving Iizuka.

Earlier this year, Matsunaga received a letter of apology from Iizuka. The letter, which appears to have been written after the criminal trial, included Iizuka’s admission that he had not remembered the details of the pedal mistake at the time of the crash, leading him to claim innocence during the trial. However, after reading the court’s ruling and the evidence presented, Iizuka acknowledged that it was his misunderstanding of the vehicle controls that caused the crash.

The letter concluded with Iizuka apologising: “I regret deeply continuing to drive when I should have stopped earlier, and I sincerely regret causing the accident. I am truly sorry.”

Iizuka’s Request to Return Licences from Elderly Drivers

Matsunaga, wanting to meet Iizuka, visited the prison in May this year with Yoshinobu Uehara, the father of Mana Matsunaga. Iizuka, who was frail and needed a wheelchair to move, was much weaker than they had expected. During their meeting, Matsunaga asked Iizuka what he thought could have prevented the accident, to which Iizuka replied, “Please tell elderly drivers to return their licences as soon as possible.”

After the meeting, Matsunaga said: “I’ve spent five years facing the painful reality that my wife and daughter will never come back. I feel that this meeting is the culmination of everything I’ve done to prevent future tragedies. Instead of continuing to condemn him, I think we should take his words to heart and consider what each of us can do to avoid creating more victims, offenders, and grieving families.”