Saitama District Court Judge Yoshifumi Otani, finding a restaurant operator criminally responsible for continuing to serve alcohol to a customer who later caused a drunken driving traffic accident that killed two people. (Asahi Shimbun)

4 Comments

• 

  KyouNoNippon at 01:56 PM JST - 12th June

  Not too sure of the details, but I do not think it is necessarily the responsibility of the bar to decide how much is enough for you.

• 

  borscht at 07:18 PM JST - 12th June

  I do. Happens all the time in other countries; the bartender looks at the drunk and says, 'I think you've had enough.' In some states in the US the bartender can be held liable for some actions that drunks do after they leave the bar IF THE BARTENDER knew the drunk was too drunk But continued to serve him or her. Responsibility and common sense.

  But I must say, this is a first in Japan.

• 

  usaexpat at 11:02 PM JST - 12th June

  I don't support the law as I've said before. Unless every bar is equipped with a breathalyzer the bartender can not know when a person has had too much to drink (unless they are falling down drunk). I can tell you that I could act sober enough to be served and have no business driving. The responsibility lies solely with the drinker.

• 

  damexicanbuda at 07:25 AM JST - 15th June

  Bravo!! I am very happy the court in this case has a bit of common-sense! Do we all remember a few months ago that 2 young stupid mothers were guzzling beer,etc..at a Saizeriya family restaurant late into the night, with all of the little children, were not stopped nor asked how they would get home and all died a few hours later after the idiot drunk driver mother slammed her car into a light pole??? She was stupid but the restaurant evil for not taking away her car keys! Calling a taxi? These innocent children would may alive today.

Register or login to add a comment!