Why This Topic Landed in Japan

Last year a Chinese national struck four elementary-school children in a drunken hit-and-run but received a suspended sentence after telling the court he would "never drive again." Roughly six months later he was caught driving without a license and re-arrested. For Japanese reaction sites the story crystallized two long-running grievances: a perception that the courts are too soft, especially toward foreign offenders, and a broader unease about foreign crime and the limits of Japan's good-faith approach to rehabilitation.

Key Reaction Themes

  • Distrust of the courts — Most comments aimed their anger at the judiciary, calling a suspended sentence for a drunken hit-and-run involving four children indefensible and demanding that judges be held personally accountable for the outcome.
  • Calls for deportation and legal reform — A dominant strand insisted that any foreign national who commits a crime should be deported and barred from re-entry, framing the case as a gap in immigration and criminal law rather than an individual failing.
  • "Good faith doesn't apply" — A smaller but vocal group argued that Japan's lenient, good-faith sentencing simply does not work for repeat offenders, citing the six-month relapse as proof.

Sources:

産経ニュース
産経ニュース
@Sankei_news
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無免許逮捕の中国人男「二度と車を運転しない」と約束し執行猶予つき判決→半年で「再犯」　「移民」と日本人 sankei.com/article/202606… 無免許運転で現行犯逮捕された中国籍の男は昨年、小学生4人ひき逃げ事件の裁判で「二度と車を運転しない」といった反省が考慮され、執行猶予つき判決となっていた

www.sankei.com無免許逮捕の中国人男「二度と車を運転しない」と約束し執行猶予つき判決→半年で「再犯」　「移民」と日本人埼玉県三郷市で車を無免許運転したとして、道交法違反容疑で同県警に現行犯逮捕された中国籍の鄧洪鵬容疑者（43）は昨年11月、小学生4人ひき逃げ事件の裁判で「二度…
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こちら「週刊フジ」です
こちら「週刊フジ」です
@yukanfuji_hodo
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無免許逮捕の中国人男「二度と車を運転しない」と約束し執行猶予つき判決→半年で「再犯」 ルールが守れない外国人には厳しく対応すべきです sankei.com/article/202606… @Sankei_newsより

www.sankei.com無免許逮捕の中国人男「二度と車を運転しない」と約束し執行猶予つき判決→半年で「再犯」　「移民」と日本人埼玉県三郷市で車を無免許運転したとして、道交法違反容疑で同県警に現行犯逮捕された中国籍の鄧洪鵬容疑者（43）は昨年11月、小学生4人ひき逃げ事件の裁判で「二度…
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What Japanese Netizens Are Saying

The suspended sentence that sparked outrage

Reaction to the original ruling, in which the driver avoided prison after pledging never to drive again.

Comments:

  • "Why is Japan's justice system so soft on foreigners?"
  • "Four schoolchildren in a hit-and-run and he gets a suspended sentence? And now he's reoffended. What is wrong with this garbage judiciary?"
  • "We've reached an era where we have to hold judges accountable. Handing down a sentence and then washing your hands of it is too irresponsible."
  • "Drunk, unlicensed, hit-and-run — that's about as malicious as it gets. Don't hand out a suspended sentence for that."
  • "Why can a criminal foreigner keep living in Japan so comfortably? Anyone who commits even one crime should be deported."
  • "Send him back and ban him from re-entering. Because they don't, it's Japanese people who end up as the victims."

A repeat offense within six months

The driver was re-arrested for unlicensed driving about half a year into his suspended sentence.

Comments:

  • "And so the catch-and-release continues. If you won't put him in prison, then deport him."
  • "Just six months and his lack of remorse was proven. Does the justice system even intend to protect the public?"
  • "One strike and you're deported — that should be enough. Once you've done it, the next sentence only gets lighter."
  • "Hurry up and reform the law so people like this can be deported. And judges should be held responsible."
  • "Do any Japanese get a suspended sentence for a hit-and-run involving four people?"
  • "This is the type Japan's good-faith assumption was never meant for. Coexisting with people this far gone is hard."