Tokyo police arrested a 23-year-old Chinese national after his Porsche collided with two other vehicles in Bunkyo Ward [1], [2].
The incident highlights severe risks associated with high-speed reckless driving in dense urban areas and the potential for unlicensed operators to navigate Japanese roads.
The crash occurred June 9, 2024, shortly after 5:30 p.m. [2], [4] near an intersection in the Otowa district of Bunkyo Ward [2]. According to investigators, the driver, identified as Xu Zhenda, was traveling at approximately 100 km/h [5] when he failed to make a right turn. The Porsche struck a curb and bounced into the path of two oncoming vehicles [1], [6]. One of the impacted cars was a Tesla [7].
Three people sustained minor injuries in the collision [3]. Police arrested Xu on suspicion of dangerous driving causing injury [1].
During questioning, Xu said, "I wanted to turn quickly because it would be a waste of time to be caught by the signal" [8].
Authorities are also investigating Xu for driving without a valid license. A Metropolitan Police Department official said Xu possessed an international license from the Philippines, but the document appeared to have expired [9].
Investigators are reviewing the sequence of events to determine how the vehicle reached such high speeds within a residential and commercial intersection zone. The total number of vehicles involved in the crash was three [7].
“"I wanted to turn quickly because it would be a waste of time to be caught by the signal"”
This case underscores the challenges Japanese authorities face in verifying the validity of foreign driving permits in real-time. The combination of extreme speeding in a city center and the use of an expired international license suggests a lapse in both driver compliance and the immediate verification of credentials at the point of vehicle rental or operation.
