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We've talked here at Unseen Japan about the challenges Japan faces with depopulation, and how the country's aging population puts increasing pressure on its health care system and its labor supply.

But another issue that doesn't get enough coverage is the problems that arise as people age, and their mental and physical faculties deteriorate. The country has seen a spike in recent years, for example, in the number of elderly people suffering from dementia who wander off from their homes, or into potentially dangerous situations. I've also talked a little bit on this site about how some adults find themselves becoming “caregiver shut-ins,” as caring for elderly relatives becomes a full-time job.

https://unseenjapan.com/nursing-hikikomori.html

Another issue is elderly drivers. As people age, their reaction times, judgment, and ability to control a vehicle can also deteriorate. Sometimes, the result is a tragic accident.

Unfortunately, the neighborhood of Ikebukuro in Tokyo was the site of just such a tragedy last week. 87-year-old Iizuka Kouzou (飯塚幸三) lost control of his car on a busy Ikebukuro thoroughfare and ran through a crowd people. While 10 people were injured, two victims on a bicycle – 31-year-old Matsunaga Mana (松永真菜) and her daughter, Riko (莉子) – were both killed.

An overhead aerial shot of the accident in Ikebukuro that lead two people dead and 10 injured. (Picture: ANN)

“I'm Gonna Quit Driving”

In the week-plus since the accident, numerous news sources have dove into the particulars of the incident. Initially, the driver said that he thought there was something strange about the brakes on the car, and that he had “somehow” lost control, and the vehicle suddenly accelerated.

Subsequent inspections, however, found no mechanical issues with the car or its braking system. They also found no evidence that Iizuka skidded or attempted to apply hard pressure to the brakes to get the vehicle to stop. The vehicle only came to a halt after it plowed into a garbage truck.

https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASM4N31YMM4NUTIL001.html (JP) Link: No Skid Marks, Nor Damage to Accelerator: Ikebukuro Accident

What reporters did find out, however, was that Iizuka knew he was losing control of his ability to drive. He had had trouble with driving previously; his legs were getting weaker, and he was using a cane to walk around. He even reportedly told a neighbor, “I'm gonna quit driving.”

Moreover, witnesses report Iizuka driving at near-reckless speeds. One 24-year-old working at a car dealership said, “He went through a speed that made me think he was being pursued by the cops.” Another witness reported seeing a bicycle cleaved in two – a testament to the force that barreled through the street.

https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASM4M5CQTM4MUTIL037.html (JP) Link: 87 Year Old Driver Said, “I'm Gonna Quit Driving”; Reports of Excessive Speed

Why Are You Calling Him “-San”?!

Naturally, this terrible tragedy has sparked sadness, anger, and recrimination across the board. The loss of his wife and daughter has left the 32-year-old husband and father of the two distraught. Speaking at a press conference, he said:

I believed I'd watch my daughter grow up, become an adult, and leave our home, and that my wife and I would live out the rest of our days together. But our future was stolen from us in a blink.

Outside of the victim's family, however, sadness seems to have swiftly turned to anger over Iizuka's handling – both in the press and by the authorities.

As I've explained before, in the Japanese press, when someone is charged with a crime, the honorific suffix “-san” is discarded from their names, and is replaced instead with the word “yougisha” (容疑者), or “suspect.” As Mainichi Shinbun relates, major news outlets seem reluctant to attach the “suspect” prefix to Iizuka's name – something that only usually happens when police formally file charges with prosecutors, which hasn't happened in the Ikebukuro case. That led newspapers like Mainichi and Asahi to attach the honorific “-san” to Iizuka's name – a decision that has evoked anger from bloggers and commenters. Many newspapers have moved to calling Iizuka 「元院長」 (moto inchou; former director) in recognition of his prior work history, while others have simply chosen not to name him at all.

https://mainichi.jp/articles/20190426/ddm/041/040/114000c (JP) Link: Ikebukuro Accident: “-San” Suffix / Former Director / Anonymous”…Newspapers Split on Handling of Designation

Is There Any Solution?

A more serious issue is: why was the 87-year-old Iizuka, who had expressed concerns about his own driving abilities, still allowed behind the wheel? Reports on NHK noted that Iizuka had passed a driving re-examination within the past year, meaning he was still legally allowed to drive in spite of his own misgivings.

In an article for Huffington Post Japan, writer Ikuta Aya notes one positive movement: The number of elderly drivers voluntarily returning their licenses to authorities. However, the numbers only comprise 8% of all of the 2.3 million drivers over age 80.

According to Professor Itou Azumi of Yamanashi University, drivers are reluctant to give up their licenses for two reasons. First, they live in areas where cars are a necessity. Indeed, most of the drivers returning their licenses live in major urban areas like Tokyo, where it's easier to get around without a car (and expensive to own one). Another reason is simple comfort: continuing to own a car gives older people a sense of feeling alive. Asking someone to give up their car after they've driven one their whole lives is akin to asking people to give up their smart phones.

https://www.huffingtonpost.jp/entry/older-driver-problem_jp_5cc121bae4b01b6b3efc7cd5 (JP) Link: “Talk With Them After 5 Years, Even If Their Driving is Good”: What Can Be Done About the Elderly Driver Issue

Professor Itou recommends that families who have concerns about an elderly family member's driving raise those concerns with the appropriate authorities, such as the Police and the Driver Licensing Center. Itou also urges families to have a serious chat with their older relatives periodically, even if their driving seems up to par.

To me, there seem to be several ways the government might be able to assist as well. One could be some sort of subsidy program that encourages (or even requires) elderly drivers to sell their older cars and trade up to newer models with modern safety features – such as collision detection, or even (in the near future) fully automated driving. Assisted driving is a good backstop against human error that likely becomes even more vital as a driver ages. And, of course, local municipalities can investigate helping elderly drivers move closer to the center of a town or city, or providing better transportation options to and from more remote areas not well served by mass transit.

While it isn't clear yet exactly how local municipalities and the federal government will react to this tragedy, it's clear that this problem will only continue to accelerate until a concrete plan is formed.

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