7 injured after car runs into pedestrians in Japan

TOKYO - Seven people were injured after a car barrelled through a busy area in downtown Nagoya, central Japan, on April 1, local authorities said.

The two male and five female victims were taken to the hospital for further examination. Among them, a woman broke her pelvis, while another is believed to be an infant.

Japanese police have arrested the driver, 74-year-old Akemi Nakada, at the scene. She has admitted to negligent driving causing injury, with investigative sources saying she indicated that she stepped on the accelerator with more force than usual.

She was later released, and investigations will proceed with her consent, the police said.

A passerby called emergency services at around 1pm and said there was a “car running wild” in the city’s Sakae district, adding that several people were hurt, according to the authorities.

According to a man in his 50s who was waiting at a traffic light near the accident site, the car emerged from an underground parking lot and paused before abruptly accelerating. It continued to run off the road and onto a sidewalk on the opposite side, before it was forced to come to a stop after it ran over a bollard.

The driver appeared distressed and was saying, “What should I do? What should I do?,” the man said. “It’s scary because you never know what will happen or where,” he said.

The car was found partially suspended by the traffic bollard in the vicinity, its front having sustained heavy damage.

Sakae is one of Nagoya’s principal commercial areas, containing many businesses and entertainment facilities.

In Japan, measures to address accidents involving elderly drivers, such as encouraging them to surrender their licenses and improving driving safety devices, have been implemented. However, tragic incidents continue to occur as society ages. KYODO NEWS