Turkish National's Trial Opens Over Fatal Motorcycle Collision in Kawaguchi That Killed 19-Year-Old; Prosecutors Reportedly Seek 3-Year Prison Term
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The first hearing was held on July 21, 2026 for Kurt Hayri, 29, a Turkish national working in demolition and living in Minami Ward, Saitama City, who is charged with violating the Act on Punishment of Driving Motor Vehicles Causing Death or Injury (negligent driving resulting in death). He is accused of running a red light in his car at approximately 40 km/h in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture in January 2026, striking and killing Yuki Yamamoto, then 19, who was riding a motorcycle straight through the intersection. The defendant admitted to the charges, apologizing, "I truly feel deeply sorry."
During the hearing, prosecutors read a statement from the victim's mother that included the remark, "Please do not look down on Japan and the Japanese people." According to reports, prosecutors subsequently sought a three-year prison term in their closing argument.
Current status: The detail of the three-year sentencing request appears to originate from a Sankei Shimbun report, but its domain could not be directly accessed to verify the original text; the information is based on headline text visible in an article image posted on social media. This article will be reviewed and updated once corroborated by other outlets. The verdict has also not been determined as of this writing.
Regarding traffic accidents and dangerous driving involving foreign nationals, other reported cases include one in which a suspect was re-arrested and indicted for unlicensed driving just seven months after receiving a suspended sentence (related coverage).