Key Facts
• In 2018, a fatal accident occurred in Minato City, Tokyo.
• Former prosecutor Tatsuhiro Ishikawa, 86, was convicted of violating the Driving Punishment Act.
• Ishikawa claimed a vehicle defect caused the accident and sued Toyota for damages.
• On October 30, 2025, the Tokyo High Court dismissed Ishikawa’s appeal.
• Presiding Judge Tomoyuki Kadota upheld the lower court’s ruling, rejecting defect claims.
• The confirmed ruling stated Ishikawa accidentally pressed the accelerator, causing a 100 km/h crash.
• The accident resulted in the death of a 37-year-old man.
• Ishikawa’s initial conviction for the accident remains upheld.
Summary
Tatsuhiro Ishikawa, a former Tokyo prosecutor, lost his appeal in the Tokyo High Court on October 30, 2025. The case involved a 2018 fatal accident in which Ishikawa’s vehicle struck and killed a 37-year-old man. Ishikawa, 86, argued that a defect in his Toyota vehicle caused the accident and sought damages from the automaker. However, the court, led by Judge Tomoyuki Kadota, dismissed his claims, affirming the lower court’s decision that no defect was present. The confirmed ruling stated that Ishikawa mistakenly pressed the accelerator, causing the car to accelerate uncontrollably at over 100 km/h. The original conviction for violating the Driving Punishment Act remains in effect.
